JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – JR Washington scored 21 points including a pair of 3-pointers during a crucial second half run as the Lander Bearcats pulled away for a season-opening 75-63 win over Brevard College Friday night in the Carson-Newman Classic at Holt Fieldhouse.

The victory made a winner out of Steve Roberts in his head coaching debut at Lander.

The Bearcats will meet Carson-Newman in the Classic Saturday night at 7 p.m., and have their home opener Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 vs. King College.

Washington made five 3-pointers while also leading Lander with five assists and four steals.

Tobiasz Hose added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Bearcats. Travis Fredimon and Rahu Purdie scored 11 points apiece for Lander while Matthew McClain paced the team with eight rebounds.

The Bearcats made 26 of 46 shots from the floor (46 percent), 14 of 19 free throws (74 percent) and nine of 19 from 3-point range (47 percent). Lander out-rebounded the Tornados 34-27.

Brevard's Demarcus Threatt led all scorers with 26 points, making nine of 17 shots from the floor. Miles Leathers added 17 points and four assists, while Will Brown led Brevard with nine rebounds.

The Tornados made 23 of 47 shots from the floor (49 percent), seven of 14 free throws (50 percent) and 10 of 24 from behind the arc (42 percent).

Lander scored 11 unanswered points to break a 44-all tie, with Washington hitting a pair of 3-pointers, Fredimon making one 3, and Tyree King adding two free throws for a 55-44 lead with 10:56 left in the game.

The lead grew to 12, 59-47, on Sergio Smith's two free throws with 9:26 to go, and Scott Elder's layup gave the Bearcats a 61-50 advantage with 8:18 left.

The lead stayed at 11 at the six-minute mark when Washington's layup made the score 63-52. King's jumper matched Lander's biggest lead of the night at 65-53 with 5:11 to go.

Hose's dunk gave the Bearcats a 67-56 advantage with 4:36 left.

Hose made a 3 to give Lander its biggest lead of the game at 14 points, 72-58, with 2:22 to go.

Purdie added three free throws in the final minute to help the Bearcats close out the win.

After Brown's 3 gave Brevard a 13-10 lead with 12:22 left in the opening half, Purdie and Washington hit 3s to hand Lander a 16-13 advantage with 10:39 to go. But the Tornados went on an 11-0 run with Leathers, Brown and Threatt all making 3s for a 24-16 advantage at the 8:10 mark.

Washington hit another shot from behind the arc to close the Bearcats within 26-25 with 3:08 left. Brevard led 33-28 at the half.

Washington's third 3 of the game pulled Lander within 39-38 with 17:46 to go, and the Bearcats took their first lead of the second half on Fredimon's jumper that made it 42-41 at the 16-minute mark.

Leathers made a 3 to pull the Tornados into a 44-all tie with 13:33 left. But Lander would score the game's next 11 points to take control.