HARROGATE, Tenn. – Coming off of a victory in their return to the NCAA Tournament, No. 25 Clayton State (24-6, 19-3 PBC) will face the toughest challenge in program history as they take on No. 1 Lincoln Memorial (31-1, 20-0 SAC) in a Southeast Region Semifinal on Sunday, March 11. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. at Tex Turner Arena in Harrogate, Tennessee.
 
The game will be the Lakers first ever against the top ranked team in their NCAA Division II history, a period that dates back to their first transitional year in 1995-96. While they have played teams that have gone on to earn the No. 1 ranking in the season they accomplished that feat they have never faced a team while they were No. 1. That includes in the national preseason rankings. That group includes Kentucky Wesleyan in 2000-01 (No. 2), Augusta State in 2009-10 (No. 3) and Queens this season (No. 2).
 
With defending national champion Northwest Missouri State's unexpected loss to No. 8 seed Minnesota State-Mankato (60-50) yesterday, there is not a team left playing that has defeated the Railsplitters this season. NMSU posted a 70-56 victory over Lincoln Memorial on December 19, 2017 in Owensboro, Kentucky, the only blemish on their 2017-18 slate.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Quite simply there is none. Not only will this be Clayton State's first meeting with the No. 1 team in the country, it will be their first with Lincoln Memorial. However, following last night's 75-69 victory over Carson-Newman, they are now 1-0 at Tex Turner Arena.
 
NOTES
With their victory over CNU, the Lakers tied the program's NCAA Division II era win mark, equaling the 24 wins by the 2006-07 team (24-7). They are one shy of tying the all-time record of 25 held by the 1993-94 squad that went 25-7 as a member of the NAIA.
 
Entering the semifinal, junior guard Aubrey McRae (Augusta, Ga.) is just seven threes away from breaking the single season program record of 72 set by Michael Sloan during the 2006-07 season. The seven triples in a game is a feat he has already accomplished, tying the team record against Lander on January 15.
 
Senior guard Nathan Powell (Orlando, Fla.) comes into the game with 322 career assists and ranks third all-time behind Clayton State Hall of Famer Charlie Frazier, Jr. (374, 1998-02) and Brian Harmon (365, 1993-95). His 126 assists this season are the eighth most in a single campaign with David Viti's 129 in 1993-94 next on the list.
 
Clayton State has now won 15 of their last 16 games dating back to a 75-69 January 24 victory at Georgia Southwestern. The only loss during that time was a 70-60 decision to UNC Pembroke in the Peach Belt Conference Championship Game on March 4. With LMU having won 20 straight since their loss to NMSU the semifinal sets up as a matchup between two of the hottest teams in the country.
 
A LOOK AT THE 2018 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL
While the Lakers will face No. 1 Lincoln Memorial, the other half of the bracket has fellow Peach Belt Conference member No. 24 UNC Pembroke taking on No. 5 Queens at 5 p.m. QUC picked up a convincing 90-69 victory over No. 7 Seed Lees-McRae while it took a last second heave for UNCP to escape No. 6 Seed Francis Marion, 75-72.
 
The winners of those games will meet on Tuesday, March 13 in the Southeast Regional Championship at Tex Turner Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Lakers are 4-2 all-time and have now won at least one game in each of their three NCAA Tournament appearances. The 2007-08 team won a pair of games to reach the regional final before falling to No. 10 and eventual national runner-up Augusta. They went through No. 6 USC Aiken in the quarterfinals and No. 22 Lenoir-Rhyne in the semis.
 
That followed their first appearance as a No. 3 seed in 2006-07 when they earned a 72-69 victory over Catawba in their very first game. It would take a narrow 71-70 overtime decision to 2006 NCAA Division II National Runner-Up Virginia Union in the semifinals to end that year's run.
 
2018 (Harrogate, Tenn. – Lincoln Memorial)
March 10 – No. 25 Clayton State def. Carson-Newman 75-69
 
2008 (Augusta, Ga. – Augusta State)
March 18 – Augusta def. Clayton State 89-72
March 16 – Clayton State def. Lenoir-Rhyne 83-69 (OT)
March 15 - Clayton State def. No. 6 USC Aiken 60-58
 
2007 (Augusta, Ga. – Augusta State)
March 11 – No. 16 Virginia Union def. No. 25 Clayton State 71-70 (OT)
March 10 – No. 25 Clayton State def. Catawba 72-69
 
TICKETS AND VENUE
The Southeast Regional is being held at LMU's Tex Turner Arena, a 5,009-seat arena widely regarded as one of the best in NCAA Division II. It is the third time in the last four years that the Railsplitters have hosted the tournament. Ticket prices for this year's seven game event are $5 per session. The semifinals begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 11 with the championship on Tuesday, March 13 at 7 p.m.

LIVE COVERAGE
Full coverage of the game will be available on live stats and live video on www.ClaytonStateSports.com. In-depth coverage of the full regional can be found at LMU's Southeast Regional Central page.

Scouting The No. 25 Clayton State University Lakers (No. 4 Seed)
Record: 24-6, 19-3 PBC
Last Time Out: W, 75-69 vs. Carson-Newman on March 10
Streak: One Win
 
Quick Links
Men's Basketball Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
Individual Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Jaylen Taylor – 12.7 ppg.
Rebounding: Jaylen Taylor – 8.1 rpg.
Assists: Nathan Powell – 4.2 apg.
Steals: Dantez Bennamon – 1.3 spg.
Blocks: Jaylen Taylor  – 0.8 bpg.
Field Goal Percentage: Jaylen Taylor - .526
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: Aubrey McRae - .437
Free Throw Percentage: Aubrey McRae – .838
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 81.0
Rebounding: 39.6
Assists: 13.6
Steals: 6.9
Blocks: 2.5
Field Goal Percentage: .454
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: .387
Free Throw Percentage: .715
 
Scouting The No. 1 Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters (No. 1 Seed)
Record: 31-1, 20-0 SAC
Last Time Out: W, 90-78 vs. King on March 10
Streak: 20 Wins
 
Quick Links
Men's Basketball Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
2017-18 Individual Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Trevon Shaw – 17.2
Rebounding: Emanuel Terry – 10.1
Assists: Dorian Pinson – 4.1
Steals: Dorian Pinson – 1.9
Blocks: Emanuel Terry – 2.2
Field Goal Percentage: Emanuel Terry - .709
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: Trevon Shaw - .459
Free Throw Percentage: Emanuel Terry - .704
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 94.6
Rebounding: 43.2
Assists: 19.4
Steals: 7.8
Blocks: 4.5
Field Goal Percentage: .535
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: .410
Free Throw Percentage: .706