BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men's basketball team squared off with regional rival Lincoln Memorial University who was ranked 17th in the D2CSC Poll and 21st in the NABC poll. The Tornado trailed at the half, but fought back in the second half, pulling within eight points late in the contest. However, the Tornado fell to the Railplitters 80-69.
THE BASICS
FINAL: #17/21Lincoln Memorial 80, King 69
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 1-4; Lincoln Memorial 4-2
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- Lincoln Memorial scored the first seven points of the contest before a pair of Eli Elston free throws.
- The Tornado deficit grew to 20-7 midway through the half before a Dami Farinloye triple tried to get the King offense going.
- Seth Cullen followed with a triple, but the Railsplitters answered each with a basket on the other end.
- Farinloye connected on another from long range to pull King within 32-21, but Lincoln Memorial answered with back-to-back triples to take a 39-21 lead.
- Cam George capped the first half scoring with a three-point basket to pull King within 39-24 at the break.
- King shot 22.6 percent from the floor in the first half while the Railsplitters shot 44.4 percent from the floor.
Second Half
- The King deficit grew to 18 again early in the second half before the Tornado started to chip away.
- Elston ignited the offense with back-to-back triples, the Railsplitters had an answer to each.
- A Myles McCrary triple pulled the Tornado within 46-35 four minutes in the half as the spread stayed there for the next four minutes.
- Cullen then pulled King within 52-42 with fast break dunk, but Lincoln Memorial came back with four straight points.
- Lincoln Memorial stretched their lead to 65-48 before a Satchel Love triple and Cullen layup pulled King within 65-53 with six minutes remaining.
- McCrary cut the King deficit to single digits with a triple, before a Cullen free throw made the score 65-57 with four minutes remaining.
- However, the Railsplitters scored the next four points to take a 68-57 lead.
- King later pulled within eight at 76-68 following a Mikhail Pocknett triple with 35 seconds remaining, but it was too little too late as Lincoln Memorial held on for the 80-69 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- King finished the game shooting 30.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from long range.
- Cullen led King with 18 points, three rebounds and two assists.
- Pocknett followed with 14 points and four rebounds.
- Elston and McCrary added 10 points apiece while Elston added a team-high six rebounds.
- Love also added six rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- Lincoln Memorial shot 52.7 percent from the floor and 16.7 percent from three-point range.
- Martez Brown led the Railsplitters with 21 points and 18 rebounds.
- Me'Kell Burries added 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.
- Chase Rankin and Osmar Garcia-Araujo chipped in with 12 points and four rebounds each.
- Garcia-Araujo led the Railsplitters with five assists.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Cullen set career highs of 18 points, three rebounds and two assists.
UP NEXT
- King stays at home to face Emory & Henry College on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.
- Lincoln Memorial hosts Winston-Salem State University on Wednesday night.
