GREENWOOD – Kayla West scored 24 points and Lander teammate Jamelia James hit five 3-pointers in the second half, leading the Lady Bearcats to a 72-65 Peach Belt Conference victory over UNC Pembroke Monday night at Horne Arena.

Lander improved to 5-4 overall and 1-1 in the Peach Belt. The Braves fell to 4-3, 1-1.

West scored 18 of her points in the first half and made eight of 13 shots from the floor, five of five free throws and three of five from 3-point range. She also led the team with seven rebounds.

James scored all 17 of her points in the final 10 minutes of the game, and she extended narrow Lander leads with all five of her 3-pointers. The freshman guard entered the game just 2-for-10 from 3-point range this season.

Ebonie Hudson, who entered the game with 13 points this season, added 15 points for the Lady Bearcats. Ashleigh Zandi and West had four assists apiece for Lander while Hudson had three steals.

Jazmine Kemp paced Pembroke with 23 points on 10-of-21 shooting, Kierra Haney added a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, Katelyn Mitchell scored 11 points, and Kamille Horne 10 points.

The Lady Bearcats made 25 of 61 shots from the floor (41 percent), 11 of 19 free throws (58 percent) and 11 of 27 from 3-point range (41 percent).

Pembroke hit 26 of 54 shots from the floor (39 percent), eight of 14 free throws (57 percent) and seven of 18 from behind the arc (39 percent) while out-bounding the Lady Bearcats 46-39.

There were five ties and seven lead changes over the first 14 minutes of the opening half when the Lady Bearcats erupted for a 14-0 run, breaking a 23-all tie. Lander would never trail again.

Hudson started the spurt with a 3-pointer for a 26-23 lead at the five-minute mark, West nailed a 3 off Portia McCray's steal and assist, and Hudson collected a steal and layup. Hudson hit another 3 off Ariel Parker's steal and assist, and West ended the run with a trey for a 37-23 lead with 1:27 left. Pembroke committed five turnovers and missed three shots during the four-minute run.

Kemp scored twice in the final 50 seconds of the first half to close the Braves within 37-27 at the intermission.

Pembroke's two late baskets were the start of nine unanswered points spanning the two halves. Haney scored in the paint and Horne hit a 3-pointer to pull the visitors within 37-32 one minute into the second half.

The teams traded four points apiece over a low-scoring next five minutes until Lander pushed its lead to nine, 45-36, on two West free throws, and West's driving runner in the lane.

Pembroke's Mitchell hit a 3 to start a 6-0 run to pull the visitors within 45-43 with 10:44 left, and Kemp's free throws cut it to 46-45 at the 10:18 mark.

The Braves had an opportunity to take its first lead since midway through the first half when Horne's 3-point attempt rimmed out and Haney missed the put-back attempt. Lander secured the defensive rebound and James hit her first of five treys, giving the hosts a 49-45 lead with 9:38 to go.

After Kemp scored inside to pull Pembroke back within two, James nailed another 3 to give the Lady Bearcats a 52-47 lead with 7:50 left.

And after the Braves closed back within a point on baskets by Avae' Hardy and Kemp, James struck again with another 3 for a 55-51 advantage at the 6:32 mark.

After Mitchell's 3 pulled Pembroke back within a possession at 57-54, James nailed her fourth 3-pointer to make it 60-54 with 5:39 left.

McCray rebounded her own missed layup and scored to push Lander's lead to 62-54 with 3:55 to go.

But James wasn't done yet. She hit her fifth trey of the second half, giving the Lady Bearcats their first double-digit lead of the second half at 65-55 with 3:31 left, and added a fast-break layup off a pass from Hudson to increase the lead to 12 inside the three-minute mark.

Kemp and Hardy hit 3-pointers, pulling Pembroke within 67-61 with 1:31 to go.

The Braves twice pulled within four points, but Lander put the game away behind Hudson's free throw, steal and layup, and two free throws by West.