GREENWOOD – Lander senior guard Bre Crum had an outstanding game with 19 of her career-high 34 points coming in the first quarter as the Lady Bearcats survived a huge Francis Marion rally for an important 94-88 Peach Belt Conference victory Wednesday night at Horne Arena.

Lander improved to 14-6 overall and 8-3 in the PBC, staying tied for first place in the league's eastern division with Augusta University. The Lady Bearcats had to survive a huge rally as a 24-point lead going into the final period dwindled to two points in just eight minutes.

The Patriots fell to 16-4 overall and 7-4 in the Peach Belt, one game behind Lander and Augusta.

Francis Marion lost despite seven double-figure scorers and a perfect 21-for-21 effort from the free-throw line. The team cut a 27-point third quarter deficit to two points just inside two minutes left in the game.

Crum made her first eight shots and finished 13-for-17 from the floor while adding eight assists.

Mylea McKenith added 18 points for Lander, Breshay Johnson added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Ty'Hesha Reynolds contributed 15 points and four steals.

Johnson made seven of 11 shots and Reynolds six of nine as Crum, Johnson and Reynolds were a combined 26 for 37 from the floor. The Lady Bearcats shot 61 percent from the field overall.

Lea Petit added four points and two blocked shots off the Lady Bearcats bench. Ashleigh Zandi contributed six points and five assists.

Khayani Chandler led the Patriots with 18 points, Victoria Dye scored 14 points, and Shaunice Fulmer added 13 points.

Briana Burgins contributed 12 points and eight rebounds for Francis Marion, TeTe Flowers added 11 points, Alaysia Watts posted a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 boards, and Camille Dash added 10 points while leading the Patriots with six assists.

Lander made 36 of 59 shots from the floor (61 percent), 17 of 23 free throws (74 percent) and five of 11 from 3-point territory (46 percent).

Francis Marion went 31 of 77 from the floor (40 percent), made all 21 of its free throws (100 percent) and hit five of 17 from behind the arc (29 percent) while holding a significant 47-26 rebounding advantage. The Patriots grabbed 30 offensive boards.

Crum was 7-for-7 from the floor in the opening quarter, including three early layups when Lander still trailed 10-8. She would score again before Chandler gave Francis Marion its last lead of the game at 14-13 with 3:48 left in the first period.

Of course it was Crum who would hand the Lady Bearcats the lead for good as her first 3-pointer of the game put the hosts up 16-14 at the 3:27 mark.

Crum would add a pair of free throws and two more 3s as Lander led 31-20 after one quarter. Crum also had three assists in the period, including one on Zandi's 3, as Crum had a hand in 26 of the team's first 30 points.

Zandi also had a three-point play, giving her six points and three assists in the opening period.

Lander quickly built its lead to 15 points, 35-20, in the first minute of the second quarter on McKenith's jumper.

The lead grew to 21 on Breshay Johnson's fast-break basket, making it 49-28 with 3:39 left in the half. Crum was 8-for-8 from the floor before finally missing a shot with 2:15 left.

The Lady Bearcats scored the final seven points of the half on Crum's ninth basket out of 10 attempts, a Reynolds 3 off Crum's assist, and a Reynolds steal and driving layup for a 60-35 halftime advantage.

Lander twice led by 27 points in the third quarter, with Reynolds making two free throws for a 66-39 lead at the 6:42 mark and Crum hitting another layup to make it 68-41 with 6:12 to go.

Johnson scored the final seven points of the third quarter for the Lady Bearcats, making a layup, converting a three-point play, and hitting a jumper in the paint as the hosts were up 77-53 going into the final period.

Chandler went on a personal 8-0 run with two free throws, a 3-pointer, and a three-point play as the Patriots cut a 79-57 deficit to 14 points, 79-65, with seven minutes left in the game.

None other than Crum would end the run, reaching 31 points with another basket in the paint.

Burgins made a layup and added two free throws two possessions later, Dye scored, and Dash made a put-back as Francis Marion closed within 83-75 at the four-minute mark. It was the team's second 8-0 run of the quarter.

Johnson's layup ended the run as Lander led 85-75 with 3:29 to go. But two free throws apiece by Flowers and Dash pulled the Patriots within 85-79 with 2:23 left.

After Crum made one of two free throws, Francis Marion drew even closer when Burgins made a layup and after a Lady Bearcats offensive foul Chandler nailed a 3 to cut it to 86-84 just inside two minutes to go. It was a 9-1 run for the Patriots on the heels of the two 8-0 spurts.

But Crum came through again with an assist on Johnson's layup to extend Lander's lead to four, 88-84, with 1:17 left.

McKenith added a big three-point play off a layup with 27 seconds to go to finally put the game away.