HARROGATE, Tenn. – The eighth-seeded Lander men's basketball team found out exactly why the top-seeded Lincoln Memorial men's basketball team is ranked No. 1 in the country as the Railsplitters defeated the Bearcats, 98-71, in the first round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional hosted by LMU at Tex Turner Arena.

Lincoln Memorial improves to 30-2 overall and advances to Sunday's semifinal round against the winner of No. 4 Queens/No. 5 Columbus State. The other semifinal will pit No. 3 Wingate against No. 7 Lenoir-Rhyne. The championship game is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday. The Southeast Region champion will join seven other regional winners for the Elite Eight, March 23-26, in Frisco, Texas.

"We got down early," said Lander head coach Steve Roberts. "(LMU) did a good job of pressing early. We missed a lot of shots we have made all year."

LMU scored the first five points of the game, but Lander stayed close, trailing only 14-12 at 15:07 on a Sergio Smith shot.

Then the Railsplitters went on a 22-2 run to extend their lead to 36-14 with 6:47 remaining in the first half. Lander was able to score more consistently the remainder of the half and trailed 55-32 at halftime.

The Bearcats cut the LMU lead to 15 points on numerous occasions in the second half.

"The second half we made some runs, but then they would match us," added Roberts. "I am just proud we didn't quit."

JR Washington's free throw with 10:25 remaining in the game cut the Railsplitter lead to 63-48, the closest the Bearcats would get the remainder of the contest.

Senior Tobiasz Hose led the Lander attack with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Washington and Travis Fredimon had 14 points each, and Smith chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds.

Jalen Steele led LMU with a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds, while Luquon Choice had 18 points, Gerel Simmons 15 points and Curtis Mcmillion 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bearcats connected on 26-of-70 from the field (37.1 percent), including 4-of-20 threes (20 percent), and 15-of-23 foul shots (65.2 percent).

The Railsplitters were 35-of-67 from the floor (52.2 percent), including 14-of-28 threes (50 percent), and 14-of-17 free throws (82.4 percent).