GREENWOOD – Lander post players Shannon McKever and Kaylyn Small each had double-doubles as the 14th ranked Lady Bearcats stayed unbeaten in the Peach Belt Conference with an 89-60 victory over Armstrong Atlantic State Wednesday night at Horne Arena.

Lander won its eighth consecutive game, improving to 15-1 overall and 8-0 in the Peach Belt. The Pirates fell to 6-9, 3-4.

McKever and Small were a combined 16-for-20 from the floor, totaled 35 points, 24 rebounds and seven blocked shots. McKever led the way with a game-high 21 points on 10-for-11 shooting, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots. Small was 6-for-9 from the floor, finishing with 14 points, 12 rebounds and one blocked shot.
Ciara Lyons added 13 points and five assists for the Lady Bearcats while Kami Phillips scored 10 points.

Arpine Amirkhanyan and Lauren Hall led Armstrong with 15 points apiece while Dartayvia Thomas added 10 points. Thomas led the Pirates with eight rebounds while Portia Jones paced them with five assists.

After the Lady Bearcats quickly raced to an 8-1 lead behind McKever’s two layups, Armstrong pulled within 11-9 on a basket by Thomas with 14:43 to go.

Lander responded with a 14-0 run, including two 3-pointers by Phillips and two inside buckets by Small to build a 25-9 lead at the 11-minute mark. Thomas scored to end the drought and the Pirates added four free throws to close within 25-15.

The Lady Bearcats closed the first half with a 22-6 run, including three baskets each by McKever and Lyons, and a 3-pointer by Nardia Robbins to build a 47-21 lead at the intermission.

Lander shot 61 percent from the floor in the first half (19-for-31) while Armstrong hit only 23 percent (6-for-26). McKever and Small were 8-for-8 in the paint in the first half with a combined 11 rebounds (McKever seven, Small four) while McKever had five blocked shots.

The Pirates out-scored Lander 11-6 to start the second half, closing within 53-32 on Amirkhanyan’s 3-pointer at the 16:44 mark.

But the Lady Bearcats, fueled by a defense that helped force 33 turnovers, put the game away with a 14-2 run. Steals by Brittni Johnson, Lyons, Robbins and Small set up fast-break baskets as the hosts built their lead to 67-34 with 12 minutes left.

For the game, Lander made 36 of 70 shots from the floor (51 percent), 13 of 22 free throws (59 percent), and four of 15 from 3-point range (27 percent).

Armstrong made 22 of 58 shots (38 percent), 11 of 14 free throws (79 percent), and five of 15 from behind the arc (33 percent).

The Lady Bearcats had a 41-35 edge on the boards.