UNCP Falls In PBC Play To No.15 Lander

GREENWOOD, S.C. – The No. 15 ranked Lander women’s basketball team remained unbeaten in Peach Belt Conference play on Wednesday evening when the Lady Braves of UNCP met up with the hosting Lady Bearcats at Finis Horne Arena. UNCP could not match up against the shooting power of the Lady Bearcats who secured their lead in the first half and rode it through, ending the game 74-49.

UNCP (7-7, 1-4 PBC) was led by Illya Hunt who put away nine points and pulled down a pair of rebounds for the Lady Braves. Following close behind was JaToya Kemp with eight points and seven rebounds.

Lander (13-1, 6-0) was led by Ciara Lyons and Tasheba Butler who each pumped in double digits for the Lady Bearcats. Lyons had 15 points, six rebounds and a trio of assists while Butler put away 11 points and 11 rebounds while picking off a pair of steals.

UNCP, who came out of the lockerroom with a 24-point deficit to the Lady Bearcats, were down by 28 less than two minutes into the second half following points by Shannon McKever and Butler. The Black and Gold tried to fight back with points from Briana Stanton but UNCP went scoreless for more than three minutes while Lander brought in 10 points.

At the 14:47 point, Talena Faison tried to get her Lady Braves back on track with a field goal and an ensuing free throw, but it wasn’t enough against the Lady Bearcats who kept increasing their lead now up by 33, 58-25, just a minute later. At the 7:46 mark it was a team effort to cut Lander’s lead as UNCP’s Hunt, DayDay Ray, Chevoya Jackson, Kristen Hobbs and Anya Knower each found baskets putting away a combined 27 points to Lander’s 18 to close out the game.

Jasmine Judge put away the first points of the game with a trey at 19:55 and the Lady Bearcats would lead from there. Assisting in the opening game run of 11-2 McKever and Butler of Lander also put away baskets before UNCP could get on the scoreboard. Finally able to cut down the Bearcats lead from nine to four, 11-7, were UNCP’s Kemp for two and DeDe Cotton who put away a three. Lander closed out the last seven minutes of the first half on a 23-4 run and retired to the lockerroom during halftime with their largest cushion of the half, 44-20.

UNCP will have another go at PBC play on Saturday and Sunday when the Lady Braves match up against Columbus State (8-4, 2-0) and Georgia Southwestern (7-5, 2-0), respectively. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 1:30 p.m.