GREENWOOD – Lander's Breshay Johnson posted a double-double and the Lady Bearcats used a late 9-0 run, taking over sole possession of first place in the Peach Belt Conference East Division with their eighth straight victory, 68-61, over league rival Armstrong State Wednesday night at Horne Arena.

Lander improved to 20-6 overall, 14-3 in the PBC. The Lady Bearcats began the evening tied for first with Augusta University. But Augusta lost at Francis Marion Wednesday.

Armstrong fell to 15-11, 7-10.

It was the annual Think Pink and Paint Your World Purple Game at Horne. The American Cancer Society partnered with Zeta Tau Alpha and the Lander men's and women's teams to create awareness and raise funds about cancer and the Relay for Life.

Lander won despite shooting only 32 percent from the floor (23-for-73), including five of 27 from 3-point range (19 percent) while also being outrebounded 50-36.

Johnson scored 24 points on seven of 10 shooting from the floor and 10 of 12 free throws while also leading the Lady Bearcats with 11 rebounds, including seven offensive boards.

Bre Crum added 17 points for Lander, Ty'Hesha Reynolds scored 14 points and led the Lady Bearcats with five steals, and Mylea McKenith added eight points and seven rebounds. Crum, McKenith and Ashleigh Zandi paced Lander with four assists apiece.

Brigitta Barta led Armstrong with a double-double, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Shermika Harris added 11 points, Machala Raymonville scored 10 points, and Tiara Baker led the Pirates with five assists.

Armstrong made 23 of 52 shots (44 percent), 11 of 15 free throws (73 percent) and four of nine from behind the arc (44 percent).

Lander led 8-4 with 4:31 left in the first quarter on Zandi's steal and fast-break layup. But Deundria Clark's basket tied the game at 8-all at the 3:23 mark and the Pirates would lead 11-9 after one period.

Raymonville's 3 gave Armstrong its largest lead of the first half at 14-9 in the opening minute of the second quarter.

The Lady Bearcats responded with a 12-1 run to re-take the lead at 21-15 with 5:33 until halftime. Reynolds started the run with a pair of steals leading to fast-break layups. Reynolds made the first layup and McKenith hit the second. Johnson followed with a pair of free throws, and Crum and Reynolds finished the run with 3s.

After collecting another steal, Reynolds made her third 3 of the game for a 24-19 advantage at the 3:08 mark. But Harris's 3 and B'Kiya Webb's fast-break layup tied the game at 24-all with 1:45 left.

Lander led 28-26 at halftime.

Clark's 3 and Barta's basket in the paint gave the Pirates a 31-28 lead in the opening minute of the third quarter. The Lady Bearcats went back up by three, 39-36, on McKenith's layup with 5:39 left.

After Raymonville's 3 gave Armstrong a 45-41 lead, Lander finished the third quarter on a 6-0 run. Johnson scored all six points, with two baskets and a pair of free throws, as the Lady Bearcats led 47-45 going into the fourth.

Johnson scored again to give Lander a 51-47 lead with 8:29 to go. Barta and Baker scored to tie the game at 51, and teammate Lexy Schoonover's free throws evened the score at 53-all with 6:45 left.

The Lady Bearcats took the lead for good on two Johnson free throws, Crum scored on a crossover driving layup, and Sannayyiah Johnson's 3-pointer put Lander up 60-53 with 4:08 left.

Crum's two free throws with 2:14 left capped a 9-0 run, making it 62-53.