Lander Scores Final 12 Points, Downs Pirates 55-48

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Lander University scored the final 12 points of the game in knocking off host Armstrong Atlantic, 55-48, in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action at Alumni Arena on Monday evening.

The Bearcats (9-12, 4-9 PBC) won for just the second time in six tries since knocking off the Pirates (8-14, 3-10 PBC) on January 20th in Greenwood, S.C., while AASU saw its season-high three-game win streak come to a close.

Lander opened the game on a 9-2 run and led for the first 32 and a half minutes of the contest before a Marquise Duvall layup put the Pirates ahead, 41-40, for the first time with 7:52 left. The lead changed hands four times, and the Pirates used a 7-0 run to take a 48-45 lead with 3:49 remaining.

A layup by Tovi Bailey started a string of six straight possessions in which the Bearcats scored, erasing the five-point deficit and streaking to the seven-point win.

Dane Sparrow - who scored 24 points in the Bearcats' earlier-season win over the Pirates - again shot well, leading all scorers with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Darius Johnson added 12 points, including 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

The Pirates were led by sophomore Chris Vanlandingham and senior Gabriel Robinson, who each tallied 13 points on the night.

The Pirates return to action on Thursday, February 11, with a 7:30 p.m. Peach Belt Conference contest at Georgia Southwestern at 7:30 p.m. in Americus, Ga.