GREENWOOD – Ricardo Martin's double-double helped the Lander men's basketball team match the second best start in school history as the Bearcats improved to 7-0 with an 80-71 victory over Middle Georgia State College Wednesday night at Horne Arena.

The Knights from Cochran, Ga., fell to 2-5.

Lander also started off 7-0 in both 1987-88 and 1980-81 under Lander and South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame Coach Finis Horne. The best start in school history was 1979-80 when the then Lander Senators were 9-0.

The Bearcats used a 29-11 run Wednesday to extend a 21-19 lead midway through the first half to 50-30 three minutes into the second half.

Martin led the Bearcats with 19 points and 11 rebounds, and JR Washington added 14 points while leading Lander with five assists.

Reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week Tobiasz Hose added 13 points and four assists for the Bearcats, Alen Hardy scored 10 points and led Lander with four steals, and Kiair Crouch added nine points. Scott Elder had two of Lander's five blocked shots.

Ryan Wilkins led Middle Georgia with 19 points, including five 3-pointers. Alyja Hennings added 11 points, Brandon Ingleton paced the Knights with 11 rebounds, and David Bivins led them with six assists and four steals. Javaris Hooks added nine points, making three of four from 3-point range.

Lander made 28 of 59 shots from the floor (48 percent), 19 of 29 free throws (66 percent) and five of 16 from behind the arc (31 percent).

Middle Georgia made 24 of 69 shots (35 percent), 14 of 20 free throws (70 percent) and nine of 23 from 3-point territory (39 percent) while out-rebounding the Bearcats 45-44.

Martin scored to give Lander the lead for good at 8-6 with 16:21 left in the first half and made two free throws, putting the Bearcats up 17-11 at the 13-minute mark.

Cory Reed's layup pulled the Knights within 18-16 with 11:27 remaining and Seth Coleman's free throws cut their deficit to 21-19 with 9:32 left.

But the Bearcats extended their lead to 30-21 at the five-minute mark when Couch's layup capped a 9-2 run. Hose had a basket and a 3-pointer, and Elder scored on a put-back during the run.

Coleman's free throws cut Middle Georgia's deficit to 31-24 with 3:43 to go. But Lander closed the half with a 10-1 run, building a 41-25 halftime lead. Washington hit two free throws, Sergio Smith converted a fast-break layup, Washington made a layup, and Martin and Hardy each nailed two free throws.

The Knights used a 5-0 run in the opening minute of the second half to close within 41-30 on a Wilkins 3 and Ingleton's put-back.

But the Bearcats responded to that challenge quickly, scoring nine unanswered points over the next two minutes to extend their lead to 50-30. Hose scored inside, Washington hit a 3, Martin scored on a put-back, and Hardy scored in the paint.

Middle Georgia pulled within 15 four times before cutting it to 56-43 with 12:09 left on a driving layup by Hennings.

Crouch and Hose hit 3s, helping Lander extend its lead to 63-45 with 10:41 to go. But the Knights closed the gap again on driving layups by Coleman and Hennings and a Hooks 3, cutting the gap to 63-52 at the 9:14 mark.

Smith's tap-in and Crouch's driving layup off Washington's blocked shot pushed the Bearcats lead to 67-52 with 7:33 left. Martin tapped in an offensive rebound to make it 70-54 at the seven-minute mark.

After a two-plus minute scoreless span that included a combined five turnovers and several missed shots, Washington hit a pair of free throws for a 72-54 lead with 4:42 to go. Hardy's layup was the first field goal on either side in three minutes as the Bearcats led 74-56 at the four-minute mark.

Martin's dunk off Hardy's steal gave Lander a 76-59 advantage with 2:30 to go. Middle Georgia closed the game with a 12-4 run.