AIKEN, S.C. – The fourth-seeded Lander women's basketball team advanced to the
Peach Belt Conference tournament championship game for the fourth time after the Lady Bearcats upset top-seeded Francis Marion, 93-73, in Saturday's semifinal game at the Convocation Center.
Lander, which improves to 21-11 on the season, will face Armstrong Atlantic at 2 p.m. Sunday. The winner earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II national tournament.
Armstrong Atlantic (20-10) advanced to the championship game by defeating Columbus State, 78-68.
The Lady Bearcats will be making their fourth appearance in the championship game and have a 1-2 record. Lander defeated Columbus State for the tournament title in 1999, lost to Columbus State in 2000 and lost to Georgia College & State University in 2004.
Lander hit Francis Marion with a balanced scoring attack with five players in double figures. Freshman Shannon McKever had 19 points and nine rebounds, while Kianna Smith had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Stephanie Ponds chipped in a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while LaShonda Chiles scored 15 points and two-time Peach Belt Player of the Year Tiara Good netted 14.
For Francis Marion, Creshenda Singletary scored 16 points and five rebounds, Brittany Young scored 14 points and had six assists, and Ebony Allen scored 11. Kevina Ransom led the Lady Pats in rebounds with eight.
The Lady Bearcats connected on 33-of-66 field goals for 50 percent, including 8-of-17 three pointers for 47.1 percent. Lander, which outrebounded FMU, 45-42, also made 19-of-25 free throws for 76 percent.
Francis Marion made 32-of-79 floor shots for 40.5 percent, 3-of-16 three pointers for 18.8 percent and 6-of-12 foul shots for 50 percent.
The two teams exchanged the lead three times in the opening minutes and were tied at 10-10 at 15:06 and 12-12 at 14:25. A Good three pointer gave Lander a 15-12 lead at 14:05 then the Lady Bearcats went on a 21-2 run to take a 33-14 lead on a Ponds jumper with 6:15 remaining. Lander led 48-28 at halftime.
FMU scored the first six points of the second half to cut the lead to 48-34, then Lander went on a 10-0 run to take a 58-34 advantage on a Shannon McKever jumper with 14:43 left. The Lady Bearcats achieved their biggest lead of the game – 27 points – when an Andrea Butler layup gave Lander a 63-36 advantage.
