Hartsville, SC -- The Lincoln Memorial mens basketball team suffered a narrow defeat on the road against the Coker Cobras on Saturday, Feb. 21, falling by a final score of 81 to 76. The Railsplitters started the contest with a balanced offensive approach as Walter Campbell and Nate Mims provided early interior scoring to keep pace with the Cobras. Jayden Spearman found his rhythm from beyond the arc midway through the first half, connecting on a pair of three pointers to help Lincoln Memorial build a lead. Defensive contributions from EJ Smith and Nate Mims, who combined for several blocks in the opening period, allowed the Railsplitters to maintain a 40 to 31 advantage heading into the halftime break.
Lincoln Memorial extended its lead to as many as eleven points early in the second half following another successful long range jump shot from Spearman. However, the Cobras began a steady comeback by capitalizing on second chance opportunities and points in the paint. Despite the pressure, Mims continued his strong performance, finishing the day with a team high 25 points and four rebounds. As the clock wound down, the game saw multiple lead changes and ties. Smith worked the glass to secure five rebounds and chipped in 10 points, while Armon Jarrard added 10 points and five rebounds to the effort.
The closing minutes were defined by high intensity as the Railsplitters fought to regain control. Emmanuel James provided a spark off the bench with seven points and four rebounds, and Drew Lewis was perfect from the free throw line to contribute six points. With just over one minute remaining, a tip in by James brought Lincoln Memorial within a single point. Coker responded with a crucial jump shot to extend their lead to three. In the final seconds, following a missed three point attempt by the Railsplitters, the Cobras secured a defensive rebound and sealed the victory at the free throw line.
Statistically, the Railsplitters saw productive outings from several key players despite the loss. Jayden Spearman finished with 14 points, fueled by four successful shots from three point range. Walter Campbell and Ashton Pennamon each contributed on the boards with three and four rebounds respectively. Lincoln Memorial will look to bounce back in their next match up, the final road game of the regular season at UVA-Wise, after a competitive performance that saw them shoot effectively from the perimeter but ultimately fall short during the Cobras late second half surge.
