GREENWOOD – Dwight Tolbert's two-year layoff from competitive college basketball doesn't seem to be affecting him much.
The Lander senior had another phenomenal game Saturday, reaching the 30-point mark for the second time in the young season in leading the Bearcats to a 93-74 non-conference victory over Voorhees College at Finis Horne Arena.
Lander improved its record to 5-2 while Voorhees fell to 8-4.
Tolbert did most of his damage from behind the arc, hitting seven of eight attempts from 3-point range. He made 10 of 14 shots overall, and added three of five free throws to finish with 30 points in 23 minutes of action.
Tolbert, who last played at Armstrong Atlantic State where he was All Peach Belt Conference in 2008-09, fell just short of his season-high of 31 points at Francis Marion on Nov. 30. He is now averaging 22.6 points per game.
David Pruett added 17 points for Lander, making three of five from behind the arc. Dennis Rumph came off the Bearcat bench to add 12 points on five-of-five shooting while leading the team with eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Ten of his points and all the blocked shots came in the first half.
Jermel Kennedy added 10 points for Lander while Corey Wright had a game-high seven assists.
For all of his offense, Tolbert was not the game's top scorer. That honor belonged to Garland McArthur, one of two Voorhees players who posted double-doubles. McArthur had 32 points and 11 rebounds, while Brandon Coleman added 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
The Bearcats shot well from the floor, making 29 of 54 shots (54 percent) and 12 of 22 from behind the arc (55 percent). Lander hit 23 of 31 free throws (74 percent), had 20 assists, and six blocked shots including two by Tolbert.
The Tigers from Demark, S.C., made 26 of 70 shots (37 percent), 17 of 21 free throws (81 percent), and five of 20 from behind the arc (25 percent) while slightly out-rebounding Lander 39-37.
Lander leads the all-time series with Voorhees, 13-2.
Tolbert scored eight of Lander's first 11 points on a pair of 3-pointers and a fast-break basket inside. But after the Bearcats built a 13-8 lead, Voorhees scored nine unanswered points to take a 17-13 advantage. Henry Johnson started the run with a three-point play, Coleman converted a steal into a basket, and McArthur scored twice inside.
Down 19-15, Lander went on a game-changing 21-4 run. The Bearcats regained the lead, 20-19, when Pruett was fouled behind the arc and hit three free throws. Pruett made a 3-pointer on Lander's next possession, and passed inside to Rumph for a dunk to give the Bearcats a 25-21 lead at the 9:28 mark.
After Jeffery Evans scored in the paint for Voorhees, the Bearcats scored 11 unanswered points. Rumph scored on a baseline jumper, Mac Mitchell exploded inside for a layup, Cody Waterworth nailed a 3-pointer, Rumph hit a short jumper, and Pruett made two free throws for a 36-23 lead with 5:43 to go.
Rumph also had a pair of blocked shots during the run to help keep the Tigers scoreless for almost five minutes until Sam Dotson hit a 3-pointer to end the run, leaving Voorhees with a 36-23 deficit at the 4:17 mark.
Lander closed the first half with an 8-2 run on Pruett's three-point play, Tolbert's third 3 of the half, and Darion Canty's put-back for a 48-32 halftime lead.
Voorhees scored first in the second half, but the Bearcats scored the next eight points when Kennedy converted inside, and Wright and Tolbert hit 3-pointers for a 56-34 lead with 17:45 left.
Tolbert hit two more 3-pointers and converted an old-fashioned three-point play, helping Lander extend its lead to 30 points at 69-39 with 13:27 left.
The Bearcats' next six points rolled off the hands of Pruett, who hit 3-pointers from opposite corners for a 75-43 advantage with 12:28 to go.
Tolbert would add another 3 and hit a pull-up jumper from the left side to reach the 30-point mark, giving Lander an 84-49 lead with 8:17 left. He was removed from the game at the 8:04 mark.
With the Bearcats up 84-51 and the starters removed from the game, Lander held its own with Michael Lowe driving inside for a layup, and Mac Mitchell hitting four of four free throws to help the team hit the 90-point plateau with 5:42 to go, making it 90-55.
Voorhees outscored Lander 19-4 the rest of the way with McArthur and Coleman scoring the majority of the points.