GREENWOOD – Lander's Tovi Bailey scored 21 points and teammate Jermel Kennedy posted a double-double, including a career-high 17 rebounds, leading the Bearcats to a 65-51 Peach Belt Conference upset victory over Armstrong Atlantic State Monday night at Horne Arena.

Lander ended a five-game PBC losing streak, improving to 9-12 overall and 2-11 in the conference. The Pirates fell to 13-8, 7-6.

The Bearcats outscored Armstrong 32-13 over the game's final 14 minutes and 21 seconds. Lander also forced 27 Pirate turnovers while committing only 12.

Bailey hit six of nine shots from the floor and nine of 10 free throws to lead the Bearcats.

Kennedy added 15 points on seven of 13 shooting, and his 17 rebounds surpassed his previous career high of 16 boards for Volunteer State Community College against Roane State Community College last season.

But the school single-game rebounding record was safe. Don Clark pulled down 27 boards against Toccoa Falls in the 1968-69 season.

While Bailey and Kennedy scored 36 of Lander's 65 points, David Pruett scored seven of his nine points in the final 1:38 against his former Armstrong teammates.

Chris Vanlandingham led the Pirates with 15 points, Jesse Wheeler had a team-high seven rebounds, and Austin Edens led the visitors with five assists. Keyshore Williams had four blocked shots for Armstrong while Wheeler had three.

After leading by three at halftime, Armstrong built five-point leads on four occasions in the first six minutes of the second half, and Lander pulled back within three each time.

The Bearcats' persistence paid off when Bailey scored off Kennedy's steal to finally tie the game at 38-all with 12:49 left. Kennedy scored inside to give Lander its first lead of the second half at 40-38 with 11:54 to go, completing a 7-0 run.

The lead began changing hands when Vanlandingham's jumper gave Armstrong a 41-40 lead, Bailey's free throws put Lander back on top, and Chris Edwards hit a 3-pointer to give the Pirates a 44-42 edge with 10:50 left. It would be their last lead of the game.

Darius Carrier's dunk off a rebound and pass from Stefan Tabasevic tied the game at 44-all with 9:51 left, Mac Mitchell's two free throws gave the Bearcats a 46-44 advantage, and Darion Canty followed with a jumper for a four-point lead.

Calvin Liptrot's 3-pointer with 7:04 left gave Lander its largest lead of the second half at 51-46, completing a 10-point turnaround from the early stages of the second half.

Over the next three minutes of 39 seconds, Armstrong committed five turnovers and missed four shots, and the Bearcats missed six shots. Finally, at the 3:25 mark, Kennedy scored to push Lander's lead to 53-46.

Pruett and Bailey hit two free throws apiece at the 1:38 and 1:13 marks, respectively, giving the Bearcats their largest lead of the game at 57-46.

The Pirates ended a string of seven consecutive missed shots when Vanlandingham made a 3-pointer with 54 seconds left, but Pruett added two free throws and a 3-pointer to put the game away.

The Bearcats' victory avenged a 71-62 loss at Armstrong on Jan. 19.

Lander built a 16-6 lead over the first eight minutes of the game, hitting seven of its first 10 shots from the floor. Bailey and Kennedy were each responsible for three of those baskets. Meanwhile, the Pirates were missing seven of their first nine shots.

Armstrong finally had its third basket when Edwards hit a 3-pointer to pull the visitors within 16-10 with 9:32 left.

The Bearcats missed six shots in a row before Carrier ended Lander's three-plus minute scoring drought, with his jumper extending the lead to 18-10 with 8:41 to go.

DeVon Jones scored twice and Vanlandingham hit two free throws to pull Armstrong within a possession at 18-16 with 5:54 left.

Lander's Tabasevic answered with a basket, teammate Mitchell followed with a steal and driving layup, and Canty scored to extend the lead to 24-16 with 4:34 to go.

But the Pirates responded with a 14-1 run over the next 3:30 to turn an eight-point deficit into a 30-25 lead. Grant Domsic made two 3-pointers and another basket, and Williams added a dunk during the run.

Bailey scored with 20 seconds left and teammate Quentin Bastian blocked a shot as time expired, leaving the Bearcats with a 30-27 halftime deficit.

Statistically, Lander made 23 of 62 shots from the floor (37 percent), two of five from 3-point range (40 percent), and 17 of 25 free throws (68 percent).

Armstrong hit 17 of 46 shots (37 percent), only seven of 21 from behind the arc (33 percent), and 10 of 14 free throws (71 percent).

Lander had a 41-34 edge on the boards.