GREENWOOD – JR Washington scored all 20 of his points in the first half as the Lander Bearcats built a 25-point halftime lead and held on for a 69-54 non-conference victory over Erskine College Wednesday night at Horne Arena in the 79th meeting between the neighboring schools.

Lander improved to 6-2 on the season while the Flying Fleet fell to 4-2.

Lander is 47-32 all-time versus its rival from Due West. The Bearcats are 9-2 all-time against Erskine at Horne Arena.

It was the first meeting between the schools since playing Dec. 6, 2011, at Erskine. Their last contest at Horne Arena was Nov. 20, 2010. They had played every year from 1968–2000.

Washington was 7 for 9 from the floor, missing his only shot attempt in the second half. He was 6-for-7 from 3-point range, including all six in the first half.

Travis Fredimon added 11 points for the Bearcats, Scott Elder had a game-high 16 rebounds to go along with nine points and three blocked shots, and Tobiasz Hose paced Lander with five assists. Sergio Smith added eight rebounds for the Bearcats.

Ray Lock led the Flying Fleet with 11 points, Brannon Dark added 10 points, and Zach Parker led Erskine with five rebounds. Andy Zagorac, Thomas Nolan and Maurice Daniels paced the Fleet with four assists apiece.

After Erskine opened the game with a free throw, the Bearcats scored 14 unanswered points including a pair of 3s by Washington and two baskets by Fredimon for a 14-1 lead with 12:52 to go.

The Fleet missed its first 10 shots from the floor before finally scoring from the field on a basket by Lock that made it 17-4 with 11:40 left in the first half.

Washington's fifth 3 out of five attempts upped Lander's lead to 25-9 at the nine-minute mark. Matthew McClain's 3 increased the advantage to 30-9 with 7:25 left.

The Bearcats took a 25-point halftime lead, 43-18, on Washington's 6th consecutive 3, a shot from the top of the arc with 14 seconds left that gave him 20 points at the break.

Lander shot 61 percent from the floor in the first half (17 of 28) to only 27 percent for the Fleet (seven of 26). Washington was seven for seven.

Dark's one-handed offensive rebound and dunk was an early highlight for Erskine in the opening minute of the second half.

Nolan's steal and layup pulled the Fleet within 20 points, 48-28, with 16:15 left.

Taylor Buffkin's 3 upped Lander's lead to 54-30 with 13:29 to go. Lock's 3 pulled Erskine within 58-40 with 8:51 left and Dark's free throw cut the deficit to 16 points, 60-44, at the 6:45 mark.

Dark's three-point play off an alley-oop dunk pass from Nolan pulled the Fleet within 15 points at 62-47 at the 6:12 mark. Parker's jumper made it 64-49 with 3:46 to go.

Daniels made a driving layup at the three-minute mark as Erskine's deficit was down to 14, 65-51.

Israel Wall's first points of his Lander career – a 3-pointer – upped the Bearcat lead to 69-51 with 1:20 left.

Erskine outscored Lander 36-26 in the second half.

For the game, Lander made 25 of 59 shots from the floor (42 percent), 10 of 14 free throws (71 percent) and nine of 19 from 3-point range (47 percent) while out-rebounding the Fleet 45-27.

Erskine hit 21 of 54 shots (39 percent), six of 11 free throws (55 percent) and six of 18 from behind the arc (33 percent).