Harrogate, TN – Lincoln Memorial men's basketball survived a wire-to-wire battle Wednesday night inside Tex Turner Arena, pulling out an 83-81 victory over UVA-Wise in a game that featured relentless momentum swings, clutch shot-making, and a dramatic finish.
Lincoln Memorial struck first just 21 seconds into the game when Ahmad Jarrard forced a turnover that led to a three-pointer from Armon Jarrard at the 19:30 mark. The early bucket set the tone for a physical, fast-paced contest that saw neither team pull away throughout the opening half.
Walter Campbell and Nate Mims established a steady interior presence early, while Emmanuel James energized the Railsplitters with finishes at the rim and defensive stops. Lincoln Memorial used transition offense to create separation midway through the half, highlighted by back-to-back fast-break layups from EJ Smith to give the Railsplitters a 22-17 edge.
UVA-Wise responded late in the half, reclaiming the lead behind efficient scoring inside and from the perimeter. Lincoln Memorial closed the period with a Nate Mims fast-break dunk to tie the game at 42, but the Cavaliers scored in the final seconds to take a 46-44 lead into halftime.
The second half opened with continued back-and-forth play, as Campbell sparked Lincoln Memorial with a fast-break layup and later knocked down a three-pointer to give the Railsplitters a 49-48 advantage. Armon Jarrard added timely buckets in the paint, while Ashton Pennamon provided ball movement and defensive pressure as Lincoln Memorial briefly stretched the lead to six.
UVA-Wise mounted a strong push midway through the half, building a nine-point advantage with just over six minutes remaining. Facing its largest deficit of the night, Lincoln Memorial answered with toughness and composure.
Campbell powered the comeback, scoring repeatedly in the paint while controlling the glass. Drew Lewis delivered in crucial moments, attacking the lane and knocking down key free throws to keep the Railsplitters within striking distance. With one minute remaining, Campbell buried a clutch three-pointer to give Lincoln Memorial an 81-79 lead.
After UVA-Wise tied the game in the final seconds, Campbell once again delivered, finishing through traffic with 11 seconds remaining to put Lincoln Memorial ahead for good. A final Cavaliers attempt at the buzzer came up empty, sealing the thrilling home victory.
Lincoln Memorial's offense was extremely balanced, featuring six players in double-figures.
Campbell led Lincoln Memorial with a game-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, adding nine rebounds and a pair of three-pointers in a dominant performance. Mims followed with 14 points, six rebounds, and two steals while logging 38 minutes, while Armon Jarrard chipped in 12 points on five field goals.
Lewis provided a key spark off the bench, finishing with 11 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Emmanuel James added 10 points, four rebounds, and four blocks, anchoring the defense in the paint, while Smith scored 10 points in 11 minutes to fuel Lincoln Memorial's transition offense.
The Railsplitters shot 50.8 percent from the field and totaled 29 rebounds, using balanced scoring, defensive effort, and late-game execution to secure one of their most dramatic wins of the season.
