Storylines – vs Lincoln Memorial University
Interim coach Eric Brewton Jr.'s Railsplitters are in a three-way tie for sixth place in the league standings heading into Wednesday's contest at UVA Wise. A win would give LMU a two-game lead and the tiebreaker over UVA Wise as Brewton's crew would inch closer to securing a South Atlantic Conference Tournament berth with just five games to play after Wednesday. The Railsplitters are led by the duo of Lindsay Proffitt and Lauren Flowers who are combining to average just over 20 points per game which accounts for 33 percent of LMU's offensive scoring output. The pair hit their average in the first meeting between the two as each woman scored 10 points in the Railsplitter victory. Proffitt hit a trio of 3-pointers in the win and enters Wednesday's game shooting 33.9 percent from beyond the arc which ranks fourth in the SAC. LMU has struggled on the road this season, having just won one road game since November and three overall in 10 road games. However, the Railsplitters did win at Queens on Feb. 1 and enter the game winners of two of their last three contests. LMU leads the all-time series against UVA Wise 10-5 and has won back-to-back games against the Cavaliers. The Railsplitters are winless in the Prior Center, Wednesday's game will mark just the second time the team has played in the arena.
About UVA Wise
A path to the SAC Tournament is possible with a loss against LMU Wednesday but, a win over the Railsplitters would make a postseason appearance more viable for coach Jamie Cluesman's UVA Wise squad. A win would negate the Railsplitters current tiebreaker advantage with a head-to-head win and tie the two schools in the league standings. While the Cavaliers have struggled on the road, the team has been solid at home. UVA Wise is 7-3 inside the Prior Center and has not lost consecutive games in Wise since losing the last two games of the 2018-19 season at home. Freshman Nia Vanzant has taken on the scoring load for the team and enters the game against LMU on an impressive stretch. The guard is averaging 20.7 points per contest over the last three games. Fellow freshman Caitlyn Ross continues to lend a helping a hand to teammates as she leads the league and ranks seventh nationally in assists per game at 6.1. Ross is also third in the league in steals at 2.6 a night; the freshman is the only player in NCAA Division II with at least 280 points, 130 assists, 100 rebounds and 50 steals. Her 134 assists are 37 shy of the single-season school assist record of 171 established by Amber Carter in the 2010-11 season.