LMU BASKETBALL NEWS

LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY

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Sports Release                                                                     February 4, 2006

Railsplitters Sweep Tigers for the Season


Stevie Akridge shoots the jumper. 
Photo by Ray Welch.

HARROGATE, TN – Saturday night’s 73-62 win over the Tigers of the University of West Alabama not only moved the Railsplitters back to .500 in GSC Eastern Division play, it extended LMU’s winning streak to two games, snapped a four-game conference losing skid and allowed the Railsplitters to sweep UWA this year both home and away. (Box score)

Playing without leading scorer Johnny Martin (Detroit, MI) who was out due to illness, the Railsplitters used a great deal of hear to establish and early lead that they never let go.  Railsplitter guard Kelvin Burnes (Miami, FL) and forward Stevie Akridge (Grand Rapids, MI) carried most of the offensive load, while teammates Ronnie Jones (Atlanta, GA) and Ken Fox (Lexington, KY) took care of business on the rebounding end.

Burnes finished the night with a season-high 25 points, most of which came at the free throw line.  The first year Railsplitter hit ten of eleven free throws to carry LMU down the stretch, while Akridge elevated his game in the second half to score 18 points in the winning effort.

On the glass, the play of Jones was inspirational as the newcomer pulled an LMU career high 19 rebounds, including eight offensive boards while falling just two points shy of a double-double.  Fox, also narrowly missed recording the double-double by pulling nine rebounds and scoring 12 points.

Now 4-4 in league play and back in the hunt for a GSC Tournament bid, the Railsplitters will have to step it up a notch this Monday evening when they host the #6 nationally ranked Falcons of the University of Montevallo.  The Tigers solidified their claim as the Eastern Division’s number one team on Saturday by traveling to Carrollton, Georgia and winning a nail biter against Ed Murphy and the Braves of West Georgia.  Monday night’s game with Montevallo is set to get underway at 8:00 p.m. in Harrogate.

-LMU-

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Men's Head Coach: Hugh Watson
Phone: (423) 869-6240