Harrogate, TN -- The Lincoln Memorial men's basketball team defended its home court with an 83-78 victory over Catawba on Thursday afternoon at B. Frank Tex Turner Arena, pulling away late in a tightly contested South Atlantic Conference match up. Catawba entered the game sitting in second in conference standings, bolstering a 15-4 overall record with a 10-3 mark in conference play. Lincoln Memorial entered the game with a 12-7 overall record, including an 8-5 mark in conference play.
Catawba opened the game with the first basket, but the Railsplitters quickly responded and traded scores throughout the early minutes. After falling behind 9-3 midway through the first half, Lincoln Memorial used a steady combination of defensive stops and transition offense to claw back into the game. A three-pointer by Ahmad Jarrard at the 8:41 mark gave LMU its first lead at 20-18, and the Railsplitters continued to build momentum behind strong interior play and second-chance opportunities. Lincoln Memorial closed the half on a 9-3 run, capped by a buzzer-beating layup from Nate Mims, to take a 39-33 lead into the break.
The Railsplitters extended their advantage early in the second half, as EJ Smith and Drew Lewis provided a scoring spark in the paint to push the lead to double digits. Catawba answered with timely three-pointers and aggressive drives to the rim, trimming the deficit to just two points on multiple occasions. However, Lincoln Memorial continued to answer every surge, with Jordan Simpson, Walter Campbell, and Lewis all delivering crucial baskets during a decisive stretch that saw the Railsplitters stretch the lead to 67-51 with just over nine minutes remaining.
Smith and Lewis led Lincoln Memorial with 14 points apiece, as Smith added four assists while shooting 6-for-9 from the floor. Campbell, Mims, and Pennamon Ashton each chipped in 11 points, with Campbell also contributing six rebounds, three steals, and a block. Mims went a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line and pulled down five rebounds, while Ashton was also flawless at the stripe, knocking down all seven of his attempts.
Ahmad Jarrard added eight points and two assists, while Armon Jarrard finished with seven points and three rebounds. Emmanuel James provided a strong all-around effort off the bench with six rebounds, two blocks, and three steals, and the Railsplitters as a team shot 49 percent from the field and 20-of-23 at the free throw line.
The Railsplitters are slated to hit the road for their next two games, traveling to Tusculum on Feb. 4, followed by a trip to Wingate Feb. 7.
