Harrogate, TN - The days are getting shorter and colder; basketball season is upon us. The 18th-ranked Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters are slated to open the season on Saturday at home, playing host to the Shorter University Hawks.

Lincoln Memorial and Carson-Newman were voted as preseason favorites in the SAC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll as announced by the league in October. The Railsplitters and Eagles each received six first-place votes and had 137 points in the poll, claiming a share of the top spot. The Railsplitters are coming off a 24-9 season where they went 16-4 in SAC play and tied for the regular season title. The Railsplitters have now won, or shared, a regular season SAC championship in five consecutive years and are seeking to make it six.

Lincoln Memorial guards Wes Enis and Connor Jordan were named to the preseason All-SAC First Team. Last season, Enis claimed conference Freshman of the Year honors while leading the Railsplitters in scoring with 17.7 points-per-game. Last season, Jordan was named All-SAC Second Team following a season of leading Tusculum in scoring, averaging 16.3 points-per-game. Lincoln Memorial forward Mahmoud Bangura was named to the All-SAC second team. This is Bangura's first season with the Railsplitters after transferring to Lincoln Memorial from Coker, where he averaged 17.3 points-per-game for the Cobras in '23-'24 and was the team's second-leading scorer.

Tip-off between the Railsplitters and Hawks is set for 3 PM in B. Frank "Tex" Turner Arena in Harrogate.

Watch: Shorter at LMU: https://www.flocollege.com/live/141908
LIVE stats: http://statb.us/b/547615