Live Blog- Rice vs. Lincoln

This game should be a thriller. The Lincoln Railsplitters (NY) and the Rice Raiders (NY) are two of the top teams in the state. Lincoln has junior sensation Lance Stephenson. Rice's roster includes senior guard Kemba Walker and junior guard Durand Scott. Both teams are loaded with talent, and this should be one of the top games of the weekend. Get ready for a great game!

8:10pm- We are about to start. Game start was runing late due to a TV holdup.

8:11pm- Lance Stephenson opens the game up with a three-ball.

8:12pm- Durand Scott just had a nice move to get to the hoop. He finished with a pretty layup.

8:13pm- It's 10-2. Stephenson has two threes and a two. He is on fire. We are only 2:53 into the contest. If Stephenson stays this hot, it could be a LONG night for the Raiders.

8:15pm- Kemba Walker got to the hoop for a tough bucket.

8:16pm- Lance Stephenson just took a jumper that fell through for a bucket. He has 10 of his team's 12, as the Railsplitters lead 12-4.

8:17pm- Stephenson had a block on one end, and a three-pointer at the other, then grabbed a defensive rebound back on the other side. Khalif Staten, a senior from Lincoln just added two more points to the team's total. He has all but four of the team's 17 points, as the Railsplitters have jumped out to a huge 17-4 lead. There is 2:44 to go in the first quarter.

8:20pm- Staten converted on an and-one, so it's 18-4.

8:21pm- Durand Scott just hit a pull-up trey to cut the lead to 11.

8:22pm- Senior forward Dorvell Carter just fed Kemba Walker who hit a jumper, putting the lead back to single-digits, 18-9.

8:24pm- Stephenson scored on an short jumpshot off a pass from junior guard Darwin Ellis, who had followed his own missed shot and gotten the ball back.

8:25pm- The first quarter just came to a close. Lincoln is on top 20-9.

8:26pm- Durand Scott and Kemba Walker played well for Rice in the first eight minutes, but Lance Stephenson was just too much to handle. The junior has 15 points already.

8:28pm- Senior Chris Fouch hit a trey to start the second quarter. It's 20-12.

8:29pm- After a Lincoln basket, at the other end of the floor, Kemba Walker grabbed up the ball after a missed three, and hit a jumper.

8:31pm- Fouch missed two free throws, then Darwin Ellis hit a three for Lincoln. Durand Scott then answered with a three, after which Stephenson hit a three. Lincon's Charles then drained a three. Soon after, Kemba Walker knocked down a three-ball. These teams can flat-out shoot!

8:33pm- Darwin Ellis and Lance Stephenson were running teh fast break and they tried to get fancy. Ellis threw it off the glass for Stephenson, but he couldn't convert.

8:34pm- The score is 30-23 in favor of the Railsplitters, and there is 3:56 left in the half.

8:36pm- Stephenson just hit two free throws. Stephenson now has 20 points.

8:38pm- Kemba Walker just drained a pull-up J. The Lincoln lead has been cut all the way down to five.

8:40pm- Senior guard Timothy Flowers just hit a shot after a pass from Stephenson. The score is 34-27 with under a minute left in the half.

8:41pm- Lance Stephson received a pass on the low post after a Lincoln steal, and he converted. Lance is up to 22 points. Lincoln leads 36-27.

8:42pm- Kemba Walker again got strong and went to the hoop, hitting the. Lincoln missed a long buzzer-beater, so the score is 36-29 as we enter the break.

8:58pm- Charles Fenner opened up the second-half scoring with a deuce, after he followed his own missed three. Lance Stephenson then answered with a two of his own. Kemba Walker then scored and got fouled, but couldn't connect on the and-one.

9:01pm- Stephenson hit one of two from the line. Charles Fenner then hit a three at the other end, bringing the Lincoln lead down to five, 41-36.

9:03pm- After a Rice rebound, then began to run the floor, but for whatever reason, Durand Scott was barely even walking up the court. Lincoln had the ball going the other way before he even reached half-court.

9:13pm- Update: Lincoln leads 46-43 with about 1:30 left in the third quarter.

9:15pm- Stephenson used his great handle and then pulled-up for a jump shot that fell through. He is the real deal.

9:17pm- Stephenson went 1/2 at the line just now. He has 29 points and seven rebounds.

9:18pm- Devon McMillan, a sophomore for Lincoln, drained two free throws with 0.4 left in the third quarter, pushing the Lincoln lead to seven, 53-46, entering the final quarter of play.

9:22pm- Charles Fenner just drained a three off a pass from Durand Scott, who was showing a nice handle prior to the pass. Rice isn't giving up.

9:23pm- Dorvell Carter, just had a traditional three-point play, cutting Lincoln's lead to three, 55-52. Carter the nscored next time down the court, slicing Lincoln's cushion to just one point.

9:26pm- Senior guard Vincent Council hit two free throws for Lincoln, so the lead is back up to three.

9:29pm- Kemba Walker knocked down two free throws, again bringing Linclon's lead down to one. Senior forward Justin Greene answered with a bucket, and the lead is three.

9:30pm- Lance Stephenson just scored down low, off a pretty pump fake. The Railsplitters have pushed their lead back up to five, 61-56.

9:32pm- Rice could not connect after a steal.

9:33pm- This time after a steal, Durand Scott was ble to convert the defensive effort into a three-point play. At the other end, Stephenson missed a three and a two, but Lincoln was able to score on a tip-in.

9:35pm- With 3:39 left in regulation, Lincoln is winning by four, 63-59.

9:37pm- Durand Scott just connected on one of two free throws.

9:38pm- Lance Stephenson knocked down a turnaround jumper from the baseline. Scott responded with a three-pointer. Lincoln leads 65-63.

9:39pm- Justin Greene grabbed a board and scored from up close.

9:40pm- Lance Stephenson tried pegging the ball to a teammate down-court, but the pass was stolen by Kemba Walker, who made it count with a bucket.

9:42pm- There are 61 seconds to play, and Lincoln has a four-point cushion, leading 69-65.

9:43pm- Darwin Ellis hit two free throws, pushing the lead to six. He then stole the in-bounds pass and got fouled, hitting both free throws.

9:44pm- Lincoln leads 73-65 with 38.9 to go.

9:45pm- Durand Scott hit the first of two at the line. Rice then quickly fouled, and Devon McMillan went to the line with 35.3 left. The sophomore missed his first, and knocked down the second.

9:48pm- Senior guard Jeff Harris fouled Darwin Ellis, who hit the first of two at the line.

9:49pm- Rice could not score at the other end of the court, and Durand Scott fouled Ellis, who again hit the first of two.

9:50pm- The game is now in the books. Lincoln picks up a 75-68 victory over their state rival Rice Raiders.

10:26pm- Stephenson and Walker were teh MVPs for their respective teams. Lance dropped 35, and Kemba scored 23.

10:27pm- After the contest, Lincoln's coach Dwayne Morton was kind enough to talk to me, as was Lance Stephenson soon after that. I'll give you the details when I have a chance.