ANDERSON, S.C. – The Lander Bearcats have advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament's Round of 32, rallying from a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat Lincoln Memorial 76-71 Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center on the campus of Anderson University.
It was the 11th consecutive victory for Lander (26-5), which will face Peach Belt Conference rival Columbus State Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. in the second round of the Southeast Regional also at Abney Athletic Center.
Sunday's winner will advance to the Sweet 16 and play for the NCAA Region championship Tuesday night in Anderson.
Tuesday's night's winner advances to the Elite Eight to begin March 25 at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, the home of Duquesne.
The Bearcats split two games against Columbus State this season, losing 64-60 on the road Dec. 3 and winning 68-60 at home Jan. 23. Columbus State rallied past Catawba in Saturday's Southeast Regional opener.
Bobby Crawford Jr. made eight of nine shots from the floor and shared team-high honors with 17 points for second-seeded Lander. The freshman forward scored the tying and go-ahead baskets during a 15-1 run which turned a 10-point Bearcats deficit into a four-point lead.
Greyson Pritzl also scored 17 points for Lander, making four of seven shots from behind the 3-point arc.
Jacob Daniels scored 11 points while leading the Bearcats with nine assists.
Antewan Webber Jr. also scored 11 points for Lander while leading the team with eight rebounds.
Dylan Canoville had three blocked shots for the Bearcats while Crawford swatted two.
Walter Campbell scored a game-high 20 points for No. 7 seed Lincoln Memorial, which finished its season 19-12. Nate Mims and Drew Lewis scored 15 points apiece while EJ Smith added 13 points.
"That was a gritty game. Lincoln Memorial has a very unique style and when you see it in person it shocks you a little bit," Lander head coach
Omar Wattad said. "We had to make some adjustments in the second half. Our guys didn't blink. All year, we did a phenomenal job with our backs against the wall of not blinking, staying locked in, staying focused and taking care of business come winning time. I'm real proud of the guys."
Pritzl bounced back from going 0-for-7 from 3-point range in the Peach Belt Tournament championship game.
"All the shots that I have put up in my life, I just tell myself the next shot is going in," Pritzl said. "I was due for something to go in (this game). It's the confidence the coach and my teammates have instilled in me."
Crawford added, "I'm happy that I'm here. I am happy for my teammates. I have great teammates, a great coach, and we all love to win. We are just going to keep going."
Of the comeback from 10 points down, Wattad said, "I told them that if we just guard with immense effort and keep getting the same contests that we are getting, and if our offense would just relax and play basketball like you have played since you were little children, I promise you it will come back our way.
"We guarded more intelligently," Wattad added. "We had faith that some of their bad shots that they were hitting in the first half wouldn't fall. The percentages came back our way. We got stops, guys made basketball plays touching paint. It's a credit to them to have the mental toughness. We are the so-called favorites and we're down 10. It can be a scary thing."
Crawford stepped up big during the rally, making high-percentage shots in the paint.
"When I catch the ball and turn to my left shoulder, I really don't see anybody. I was able to go over them and score," Crawford said.
"Shoutout to Bearcat Nation. They have been so amazing for us this entire season," Wattad said of Lander's fans who traveled to Anderson. "It helps when you are winning. Everybody wants to be around a winning team. They brought energy. They brought life to us during those runs. We are eternally grateful to them for being with us."
Of Columbus State rematch, Wattad said, "They are extremely well coached. A lot of talented basketball players. They are going to hit you with a myriad of defenses. They have talent on the offensive end. They are also a team that does not blink when things go wrong. They looked like they were dead in the water versus Catawba and they stuck with it. It's going to be a battle and we have to be ready."
A 16-6 run rallied the Bearcats from an 11-6 deficit into a 22-17 lead. Crawford started Lander's run with a dunk off Pritzl's lob pass. Pritzl made two 3-pointers,
Tommy Moore also hit a trey, and Webber converted a three-point play after rebounding a teammate's missed free throw for a layup.
Daniels scored twice,
Navaughn Maise hit his third basket of the game, and Pritzl drained his third 3-pointer as the Bearcats led 33-25 with 6:23 left in the opening half.
Lincoln Memorial used a 10-2 run to tie the game at 35-all on Smith's 3-pointer at the three-minute mark.
Canoville's offensive rebound dunk and
Jake Tringone's two free throws helped Lander take a 39-38 halftime lead.
Both teams made 15 of 31 shot attempts (48.4 percent) in the evenly-played first half.
The Bearcats regained the lead early in the second half when Pritzl scored six unanswered points. The junior guard made a driving layup through contact for an eventual three-point play and then hit a 3-pointer from the right corner as the Blue and Gold led 47-43 at the 16-minute mark.
The Railsplitters answered with a 12-0 run, including a dunk and three free throws by Campbell. Lewis's driving layup completed the run as Lincoln Memorial led 55-47 with 12:31 to go.
Lewis scored inside to give the Railsplitters the first double-digit lead for either team at 59-49 with 11:15 left.
The Bearcats quickly got back off the mat, using a 15-1 run to take a 64-60 lead with 7:16 left.
Webber started the run with a 3-pointer from the left corner, Daniels converted a fast-break layup off a steal and pass from Webber, Crawford was credited with a basket on goaltending, and then Daniels swished a mid-range shot to pull the Blue and Gold within 59-58.
After a Railsplitters free throw, Crawford grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to tie the game at 60-all, scored in the paint again to put Lander on top and Webber added two free throws as the Bearcats would not trail again.
Mims made a 3-pointer to end Lander's 15-1 run. But the Bearcats resumed their rally as Crawford made his seventh shot out of seven attempts.
Webber's 3-pointer from the top of the key gave the Bearcats a 71-65 advantage with 2:12 left.
Daniels found Crawford inside for a basket in the paint as Lander led 73-67 with 1:27 to go.
Campbell responded with a 3-pointer to cut Lincoln Memorial's deficit to a single possession at 73-70. But the Bearcats put the game way as Maise, Daniels and Crawford added free throws.
