GREENWOOD – The Lander Bearcats cut a late 11-point deficit to three points in the final minute but fell short to No. 24 Columbus State University 82-76 in a Peach Belt Conference showdown Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena.

Lander's home-court winning streak of 13 games dating back to the 2015-16 season was snapped. The Bearcats fell to 10-4 overall, 4-2 in the PBC.

The Cougars improved to 12-1, 6-1.

Columbus State out-rebounded Lander 48-32, including 19 offensive boards.

Breshay Johnson paced the Bearcats with 20 points and eight rebounds, Mylea McKenith scored 16 points, Jessica Harris added 15 points, Ty'hesha Reynolds scored 11 points and led Lander with five assists and four steals, and Tabitha Dailey shared team-high honors with eight rebounds. Destinee Langford added nine points, four assists and two blocked shots.

Alexis Carter led the Cougars with 22 points on 10 of 15 shooting from the floor while grabbing a game-high nine rebounds and adding two blocked shots. Ashley Asouzu added 20 points, seven boards and four steals, Britteny Tatum scored 15 points, while Gabby Williams added 14 points and seven rebounds. Keyrra Gillespie also had seven rebounds.

After Columbus State scored the first two baskets of the game, the Bearcats went on a 19-2 run to build a 19-6 lead with four minutes left in the opening quarter. Reynolds had a pair of 3s, Harris hit two jump shots as well as one 3, Johnson twice had steals and layups, and Dailey scored.

The Cougars closed within 21-15 going into the second period and cut their deficit to 21-19 on baskets by Gabby Williams and Tatum. They tied it at 28-all on Tatiana Wayne's bucket at the four-minute mark.

Tatum's 3 gave Columbus State a 31-30 lead at the three-minute mark. Eboni Williams hit a pair of free throws, matching the Cougars' biggest lead of the first half at 36-32 with one minute left. Johnson and Harris each hit a pair of free throws, pulling the Bearcats into a 36-all halftime tie.

McKenith hit a 3 from the left corner in front of the Lander bench, Dailey collected a back-court steal and passed to McKenith for a layup, foul, and three-point play, and Dailey made a layup giving Lander a 46-38 lead with 8:23 left in the third quarter.

Carter's three-point play pulled Columbus State within 52-51 with 2:23 to go. Exactly one minute later, the Cougars took their first lead of the second half at 53-52 on two Gabby Williams free throws.

After the lead grew to five, Lander's Harris ended the third quarter by driving around her defender for a layup as Columbus State led 57-54 going into the fourth.

The Cougars took their first double-digit lead on Asouzu's free throw, making it 68-58 with 6:52 to go. Asouzu's steal and driving layup gave Columbus State its biggest lead of the game at 76-65 just inside the three-minute mark.

Harris's two free throws pulled the Bearcats within 78-71 with 59 seconds to go. The Cougars turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play, then Lander's Langford drove to the basket, laid it in, was fouled, and converted a three-point play cutting the deficit to 78-74 with 49 seconds left.

Columbus State converted one free throw, then Johnson made an off-balance layup off McKenith's long pass to pull the Bearcats within 79-76 with 34 seconds to go.

The Cougars made one of two free throws, but Lander failed to score on its offensive end. Tatum was fouled after the defensive rebound and added two free throws with 15 seconds left to clinch the win.