PEMBROKE, N.C. - Darius Carrier scored a game-high 16 points Wednesday night to lead three Lander players in double figures as the Bearcats lost to UNC Pembroke, 81-66, in a Peach Belt Conference game in the English E. Jones Center.

UNCP improves to 10-3 overall and 3-2 in the PBC, while Lander moves to 6-7, 0-6.

Carrier connected on 5-of-7 field goals and 6-of-11 free throws and grabbed four rebounds. Calvin Liptrot added 13 points and five rebounds, while David Pruett had 10 points. Jermel Kennedy led the team in rebounds with nine and Mac Mitchell had a team-high four assists.

Shahmel Brackett led UNCP with 15 points and five rebounds, while teammates Marcus Heath had 13 points, Chris Hargrove 12 and Lamar Cross 11. George Blakeney added nine points and a team-best eight rebounds.

After four first-half ties, the last coming at 14-14 with 14:08 in the first half, UNCP took the lead for good when Cross's three gave UNCP a 17-14 advantage.

The Braves stretched the lead to 12 points at 34-22 with 2:16 left in the half on another Cross three.

UNCP opened the second half with an 8-2 run and took a 45-27 lead on a Blakeney layup with 17:40 left.

Lander made a run midway through the half and cut the lead to 10 points at 57-47 on a three by Stefan Tabasevic with 9:33 remaining. But UNCP came right back with a 14-4 run to make it 71-51 with 5:49 left on a Nate Priest foul shot.

Lander connected on 23-of-52 field goals for 44.2 percent, including 5-of-13 three-point shots for 38.5 percent. The Bearcats also made 15-of-26 free throws for 57.7 percent.

The Braves were 26-of-52 from the field for 50 percent, including 9-of-17 threes for 52.9 percent. UNCP made 20-of-32 foul shots for 62.5 percent.

Lander travels to North Georgia Saturday for a Peach Belt Conference contest.