Anderson, SC -- Lincoln Memorial men's basketball fell to 14th-ranked Anderson on Saturday night, in Anderson, South Carolina, as the Trojans used a dominant opening half to secure a 78–55 victory.
Anderson seized control early, building separation throughout the first 20 minutes. The Trojans shot 50.0 percent from the floor in the opening half (17-of-34) and connected on 6-of-12 attempts from three-point range to take a 47–21 lead into the break. Lincoln Memorial struggled to find offensive consistency early, shooting 29.6 percent (8-of-27) in the first half, despite knocking down 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Anderson led for nearly 18 minutes of the half and stretched the margin to as many as 26 points before halftime.
Turnovers and transition offense proved decisive in the opening period. Lincoln Memorial committed 14 first-half turnovers, which Anderson converted into 16 points, while also holding advantages in fastbreak scoring (16–4) and points in the paint (20–6). The Railsplitters remained competitive on the glass early, trailing just 19–16 in rebounds, and received a spark from the bench with 15 first-half points.
Lincoln Memorial showed improved energy and execution in the second half, scoring 34 points and winning the rebounding battle 22–16 after the break. The Railsplitters generated second-chance opportunities with nine offensive rebounds in the half and outscored Anderson 20–12 in the paint. Despite the push, the Trojans maintained control throughout the final 20 minutes, leading wire-to-wire in the half and pushing the lead to 26 points midway through the period.
Offensively, Lincoln Memorial finished the game shooting 34.4 percent from the field (21-of-61) and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line (9-of-12), while totaling 38 rebounds and 10 assists.
Several Railsplitters provided bright spots in the road contest. Ahmad Jarrard led Lincoln Memorial with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting, adding three rebounds and two assists. Walter Campbell posted a strong all-around effort with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Jayden Spearman chipped in nine points and three three-pointers off the bench. Lincoln Memorial also received seven points from Drew Lewis and six points from EJ Smith who went a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line.
