Harrogate, TN -- The Lincoln Memorial men's basketball team saw its conference tournament run come to an end on Friday as the fourth-seeded Railsplitters fell 66-61 to top-seeded Anderson University in the South Atlantic Conference semifinals. Despite a late second-half surge that brought the Railsplitters within three points in the final minute, the Trojans relied on early perimeter shooting and consistent free-throw execution to secure the victory and advance to the title game.
Anderson established control immediately following the opening tip-off at the 19:45 mark, as Kadyn Dawkins connected on back-to-back three-pointers to give the Trojans a quick 6-0 lead. The Railsplitters struggled to find their rhythm early, falling behind by as many as 10 points following a layup midway through the first half. Walter Campbell and Armon Jarrard provided a spark to keep the game within reach, with Campbell hitting a crucial three-pointer at the 10:48 mark to cut the deficit to five. However, Anderson closed the half strong, utilizing a triple in the final minutes to take a 32-22 lead into the locker room.
Lincoln Memorial displayed significant resilience in the second half, gradually chipping away at the Trojan lead. Nate Mims was instrumental in the comeback effort, scoring 18 points on efficient 7-of-10 shooting. The Railsplitters also received a boost from Jayden Spearman, who drilled a pair of three-pointers, and Campbell, who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. A layup by Mims with less than a minute remaining narrowed the gap to 62-59, the closest the Railsplitters had been since the opening minutes of the contest.
Ultimately, Anderson's poise at the free-throw line proved to be the difference. The Trojans drew a foul in the closing seconds and converted both attempts to extend the lead back to two possessions. Lincoln Memorial finished the game shooting 45 percent from the field, but were outpaced by Anderson's timely outside shooting. EJ Smith contributed 8 points and 6 assists in the losing effort, while Emmanuel James added 5 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. The Railsplitters will now await the announcement of the NCAA Division II Tournament field to see if their season continues in the regional rounds.
