Wingate, N.C.----The fourth-ranked Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters shot 70 percent from the field in the first half and 62 percent for the game en route to a 108-79 victory at Wingate University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. LMU improves to 14-1 overall and 12-1 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 7-6 overall and 7-6 in league play.

KEY STATS

- LMU shot 62 percent from the field while the 'Dogs shot 48 percent
- LMU hit 16-of-29 threes (55 percent); WU went nine-for-25 from distance (36 percent)
- The Railsplitters held a 41-25 rebounding advantage and 18-6 edge in second-chance points
- Lincoln Memorial scored 26 points off 16 Wingate turnovers
- The Railsplitters held a 48-28 advantage in points in the paint
- Wingate went 12-for-17 at the free throw line; LMU went 10-for-18
- Lincoln Memorial scored 54 points in each half Saturday evening

KEY BULLDOGS

- Francis Sio had 15 points and four assists to lead the Wingate offense
- Rashaard Pringle had 14 points, four boards, two assists and two steals, going six-for-eight from the field
- Miguel Priest added 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal
- Andreas Wilson also contributed 12 points
- Jarren Cottingham had nine points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals
- Kendrick Tucker added eight points, a block, assists and steal

FIRST HALF

- Both teams came out hot, with a Jordan Guest jumper giving LMU a 16-8 lead four minutes in
- Wingate used an 8-0 run to take a 19-18 lead
- Priest hit back-to-back threes to start the spurt; Pringle's triple put the 'Dogs on top with 12:54 left
- Julius Brown answered with back-to-back threes to give LMU a five-point lead two minutes later
- Devin Whitfield's three stretched the lead to 10, but a Pringle triple pulled the Bulldogs back within seven
- Another Whitfield triple gave LMU a 38-26 lead with 6:26 to go
- A Sio bucket and Wilson three-point play pulled Wingate back within nine at the 4:39 mark
- A Cameron Henry layup and two Whitfield free throws put the Railsplitters on top by 20 with 1:11 left
- WU scored the final seven of the half to cut the deficit to 13
- Wilson started the spurt with a three, while a Cottingham steal with seven seconds left led to a Sio triple at the buzzer to make it 54-41

SECOND HALF

- LMU opened the second half on a 15-1 run, taking a 69-42 lead on Whitfield's triple at the 16:04 mark
- Threes from Sio and Cottingham cut the lead to 22 with 15:28 to go
- A triple from Henry gave Lincoln Memorial an 89-58 advantage at the midway point
- Buckets from Sio, Pringle and Wilson cut the lead to 25
- Wingate would get no closer the rest of the way

UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs are back in action next Saturday, traveling to Mars Hill for a 4:30 p.m. start
- Wingate is back home the following Wednesday, hosting Limestone