GREENWOOD – The Lander Bearcats who were struggling from the free-throw line all season made eight of eight in the last 1:40 to escape Allen University's upset bid 76-69 Saturday afternoon in the final game of the Finis Horne Classic at Horne Arena.

Lander improved to 6-0 on the season, giving the school its best start since going 7-0 in 1987-88.

Allen fell to 0-9 on the season and is now 0-20 all-time versus Lander.

The Bearcats were shooting just 61 percent from the line coming into Saturday's game and had hit only eight of 17 going into the final two minutes. But JR Washington made six of six and Mike Lee added two of two in the final 1:40 to help Lander hang on.

Lenoir-Rhyne defeated Ohio Valley University 78-75 in Saturday's tournament opener.

Lenoir-Rhyne and Lander each finished 2-0 in the tournament while Ohio Valley and Allen were 0-2.

Coach Finis Horne's team opened the 1987-88 and 1980-81 seasons with seven straight wins. Its best start was 1979-80 when the Senators were 9-0.

Washington led the Bearcats with 25 points, making eight of 12 shots from the floor and seven of eight free throws.

Tobiasz Hose added 18 points for Lander, hitting eight of 11 shots from the field while leading the team with five assists. Ricardo Martin contributed 13 points and Lee added nine points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Emaray Johnson paced the Yellow Jackets with 19 points, Richard Wilson scored 12, and Derrick McCord and Marcellus Bradley added 10 points apiece. William McDuffie led Allen with six rebounds while Mark Jones and William McGuire led the visitors with four assists apiece.

The Bearcats made 27 of 55 shots from the floor (49 percent), 16 of 25 free throws (64 percent) and six of 16 from 3-point range (38 percent) while outrebounding Allen 40-32.

The Yellow Jackets made 29 of 68 floor shots (43 percent), four of seven free throws (57 percent) and seven of 23 from behind the arc (30 percent).

Lander committed 18 turnovers while Allen had only 14 turnovers.

Washington made three baskets and Martin scored twice, staking Lander to a 10-0 lead over the game's first five minutes.

Allen missed its first 11 shots from the floor, finally scoring at the 14:44 mark. But Lee's 3 gave the Bearcats a 13-2 lead with 13 minutes left.

McCord's inside jumper pulled Allen within 15-11 with 10:29 to go, completing a 9-2 run for the visitors from Columbia, S.C.

Lander used a second 10-0 run to build its lead back up to 25-11 with 7:26 left. Hose scored twice, Marco Morales nailed his first collegiate 3-pointer, and Randy Colter hit two free throws for his first career Bearcat points.

Johnson hit a 3 and Wilson had two fast-break baskets during a 7-0 run that pulled the Yellow Jackets within 25-18. Another Johnson 3 cut Allen's deficit to 31-24 with 57 seconds left until halftime.

Washington answered with a 3, helping push Lander's lead to 34-24 at halftime.

Bradley's basket pulled the Yellow Jackets within 35-31 with 18:25 left in the game, and a steal and layup by Jones had Allen within 38-33 with 17:34 to go.

Hose had a long 3-pointer as the shot clock was winding down, added another basket, and scored on a put-back of Alen Hardy's missed shot to help extend the Bearcat lead to 45-36 just inside the 16-minute mark.

Allen twice drew within five points, with McCord's jumper slicing it to 49-44 with 12:49 to go. Johnson's layup off Bradley's steal pulled the Yellow Jackets within 55-50 just inside the 10-minute mark.

Hose hit a 3 and Washington made a long jumper as the shot clock was expiring, extending Lander's lead to 60-50 with 8:03 left.

But the Bearcats couldn't put Allen away. Johnson and McDuffie hit 3s to pull the Yellow Jackets within 60-56, and Johnson hit yet another 3 as Allen was within a possession at 60-59 with 6:25 to go.

After a Lander turnover, the Yellow Jackets had a chance to take their first lead of the game but missed a 3-point shot.

Lee hit the first free throw and Martin tapped in the rebound after Lee missed the second shot, giving the Bearcats a 63-59 lead with 5:39 to go. But Allen twice got back within two at 63-61 and 65-63 with four-plus minutes to go.

Washington made one of two free throws to make it 66-63. But on Lander's next possession it was called for a five-second violation giving the Yellow Jackets a chance to pull within one or tie with 3:37 to go. But nine seconds later, Allen threw the ball away.

Washington's lob pass to Hose for a layup extended the Bearcats lead to five, 68-63, just under the three-minute mark. But Bradley's basket cut it to 68-65 with two minutes to go.

Washington's two free throws gave Lander a 70-65 lead with 1:40 left. But Bradley answered with a pair of free throws to pull Allen within 70-67 with 1:28 to go.

Washington made two more free throws with 55 seconds left, giving the Bearcats a 72-67 lead. After the Yellow Jackets missed a pair of shots, Lander turned the ball over, then McGuire scored to cut it to 72-69 with 28 seconds to go.

Lee made two free throws with 24 seconds left, and Washington added two more with 13 seconds to go.