COLUMBUS, Ga. - Lander's JR Washington scored a career-high 41 points and the Bearcats shot almost 90 percent from the free throw line Tuesday night en route to a 94-89 Peach Belt Conference men's basketball victory over Columbus State at the Frank G. Lumpkin Center.

The Bearcats, who travel to Armstrong State for a 3:30 p.m. PBC game on Saturday, improve to 13-5 overall and 7-2 in the PBC. Columbus State drops to 12-4, 6-3.

Washington, whose previous high was 31 points in a loss to Columbus in the first-round of last year's PBC Tournament, connected on 13-of-22 field goals, including seven threes, and made all eight of his free throws, while grabbing seven rebounds. Tobiasz Hose, whose career-high is 32 points, netted 27 and grabbed eight rebounds.

The Bearcats were 31-of-64 from the field (48.4 percent), including 8-of-17 threes (47.1 percent), and 24-of-27 free throws (88.9 percent).

Cam Baker led the Cougars with 30 points and five rebounds, while JaCori Payne added 15 points, Brentine Taylor 12 points and six rebounds, Brent Jackson 12 points, and Darren Daniel 11 points.

CSU, which led at halftime, 43-38, was also 31-of-64 from the field, while making 8-of-23 threes (34.8 percent), and 19-of-24 foul shots (79.2 percent)

After a tight first half, the Cougars stretched its five-point halftime lead to a 58-44 advantage with 12:35 left in the game. But the Bearcats gradually whittled the lead down until Hose tied it at 71-all with a layup with 5:17 left to play.

The game was tied two more times before Lander took the lead for good when Washington's three pointer with 2:24 left put the Bearcats up 84-81.