MORROW, Ga.----LaShonda Chiles, TaSheba Butler and Stephanie Ponds combined for 69 points Saturday afternoon to lead the Lander women's basketball team to a 108-92 non-conference victory over Fayetteville State in the Holiday Bank Classic at Clayton State University.
Lander improves to 6-4 overall, while Fayetteville State drops to 5-4. Lander will face Lenoir-Rhyne in Sunday's second-round game.
Chiles scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Lady Bearcats, while Butler added 23 and Ponds 22. Chiles connected on 10-of-18 field goals, including 4-of-11 three-point attempts and also had three steals. Butler made 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-9 from the free throw line and grabbed eight rebounds, while Ponds was 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line with eight rebounds.
Kianna Smith added 15 points and 10 assists, while Tiara Good netted 13 points and had 11 assists and four steals.
Fayetteville State placed six players in double figures led by Tressa Aughburns' 16 points. Tenisha McArthur scored 15 points, while Passion Phillips had 13 and Shacovia Sheppard, Jamara McMillan and Leticia Dickson 10 each. McArthur grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and Sammy Saybah had seven.
Lander, which led 52-45 at halftime, shot an amazing 57.3 percent from the field on 43-of-75 field goal attempts. The Lady Bearcats made 8-of-20 three pointers for 40 percent and were 14-of-22 from the foul line for 63.6 percent.
Fayetteville State was 38-of-87 from the field for 43.7 percent, 5-of-16 from the three-point line for 31.3 percent and 11-of-15 from the foul line for 73.3 percent. FSU outrebounded Lander, 47-40.