GREENWOOD – Lander freshman Alexis Armstrong posted her third double-double in the team's first three games and teammate Alyssia Watkins scored the go-ahead basket, helping rally the Lady Bearcats to a 77-73 non-conference victory over North Greenville University Wednesday night at Horne Arena.

Lander trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half and was down by eight several minutes into the second half. It was North Greenville's season opener.

The Lady Bearcats improved to 2-1 on the season.

Armstrong scored 17 points on seven of 15 shooting from the floor and added 12 rebounds, leading Lander in both categories.

Kayla West added 16 points for the Lady Bearcats, Watkins scored 12 points, Portia McCray added 10 points and eight rebounds, and Ashleigh Zandi added 10 points while making Lander's only two 3-pointers.

Watkins and Armstrong had five steals apiece while West led the Lady Bearcats with four assists. Ty'hesha Reynolds added eight points for Lander.

Tyler Powers had a big game for North Greenville, leading all scorers with 23 points including seven of 11 makes from 3-point range. Krisceda Cotton, Timisty Nelson and Alisha Hope added 11 points apiece while sharing team-high honors with seven rebounds each for the Crusaders. Powers, Nelson and Emily Wampler led North Greenville with four assists apiece.

Lander made 31 of 76 shots from the floor (41 percent), 13 of 19 free throws (68 percent) and two of 11 from 3-point range (18 percent). The Lady Bearcats forced 24 turnovers, collecting 16 steals.

North Greenville shot very well, making 27 of 53 shots (51 percent) including nine of 14 from behind the arc (64 percent) and 10 of 13 free throws (77 percent). The Crusaders out-rebounded Lander 40-37.

North Greenville built its first double-digit lead at 18-8 with 11:51 left in the first half on a Powers 3-pointer, and twice took 14-point leads on another Powers 3 that made it 28-14 with 8:34 to go and 30-16 on Jaquazha Barrino's jumper at the 7:37 mark.

But Lander quickly got back into the game with a 9-0 run, including Armstrong's basket in the paint, Zandi's two free throws, West's layup, an Armstrong free throw, and a Watkins bucket that made it 30-25 with 5:20 left.

Hope's 3 ended the Lady Bearcats run, giving the visitors a 33-25 lead with 4:41 to go. But Lander continued to rally, twice pulling within three, including Zandi's 3-pointer with 1:06 left that closed the first-half scoring and pulled the Lady Bearcats within 36-33 at halftime.

Lander twice got within two early in the second half. But North Greenville would extend its lead to eight – its largest of the second half – on Nelson's fast-break layup to make it 55-47 at the 11:11 mark.

North Greenville still led by six, 59-53, on Hope's layup with 9:23 left. But the Lady Bearcats closed their deficit back to two again on Armstrong's basket in the paint and a Watkins steal and driving layup that made it 59-57 just inside the eight-minute mark.

McCray's free throws closed Lander within 61-59 with 7:09 left. Nelson's layup pushed the visitor lead back to six, 65-59. But the Lady Bearcats got back even closer, down by one, when Zandi hit a 3-pointer followed by a basket in the paint by Reynolds making it 65-64 at the five-minute mark.

Lander's Sakezia Kelly answered a North Greenville basket with one of her own to pull the hosts back within one, 67-66, with 4:20 left. After Nelson made one of two free throws, the Lady Bearcats finally got even when McCray scored inside for a 68-all tie at the 3:57 mark.

Lander took its first lead since the 16-minute mark of the first half when Watkins took a pinpoint pass inside from Zandi, scored to break the 68-all tie, and was fouled. Although Watkins missed the free throw, Reynolds grabbed the offensive rebound and scored to give the Lady Bearcats a 72-68 lead with 3:02 left.

Lander built its lead to six, 74-68, at the 2:33 mark when Zandi made a fast-break layup off McCray's steal.

But it would be North Greenville's turn to rally. Powers hit her seventh 3-pointer of the game and Cotton made two free throws to pull the visitors within 74-73 inside two minutes left.

After each team missed opportunities, Watkins came up big again for Lander. After missing a 3-pointer, Watkins grabbed her own rebound, drove inside and was fouled. She made both free throws, giving the Lady Bearcats a 76-73 lead with 47 seconds left.

Lander followed up Watkins' big play on offense with a big play on the defensive end when McCray drew a charge. The Lady Bearcats ran several seconds off the clock before West was fouled. She made one of two free throws, extending Lander's lead to two possessions at 77-73 with 15 seconds left.

Watkins stole the ball from Powers in the final seconds to seal the win.