GREENWOOD – Columbus State shot 59 percent from the floor, built a 29-point first-half lead and held off the Lander Bearcats 103-96 in a Peach Belt Conference game Saturday night at Horne Arena.

Lander maintained its one-game lead atop the North Division standings due to USC Upstate's loss to Armstrong Atlantic earlier Saturday. The Bearcats fell to 15-10 overall and 9-5 in the PBC, leading the Spartans by one game in the North. Lander plays a crucial game at USC Upstate on Wednesday.

Columbus State improved to 15-10, 8-6.

The Cougars made 36 of 61 shots from the floor and led 47-18 on Sean Miller's 3-pointer with 6:26 left in the first half. But Lander closed within six in the final minute.

Ron Robinson had a huge game for Columbus, hitting 12 of 17 shots and scoring a game-high 26 points. Corris Portis made seven of 12 shots, scoring 23 points. Miller (6-for-9) added 17 points while Travis Matthews (4-for-4) scored 14 points.

Jarred Jackson led Lander with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Dane Sparrow and Zach Evans each hit four 3-pointers and finished with 21 and 18 points, respectively. Curtis Milner had 11 points and five blocked shots while Emanuel Hodrea had 10 points. It marked the second straight game with five Bearcats scoring in double figures.

Robinson had 16 points at halftime on 7-of-10 shooting, staking the Cougars to a seemingly insurmountable 55-31 lead.

But Lander outscored the Cougars 65-48 in the second half with Sparrow scoring 16 points, Jackson 14, and Evans 13 after halftime.

Columbus still led by 20 points with seven minutes to go before the Bearcats got within six, 99-93, with under a minute to go. Lander hit five 3-pointers in the final 1:28 of the game and had 14 on the night.