GREENWOOD – The University of North Georgia made 18 of its first 22 shots from the floor and scored more than 100 points against Lander for the second time this season, outlasting the Bearcats 103-92 in an important Peach Belt Conference game Thursday night at Horne Arena. The loss put Lander's post-season hopes in serious jeopardy.

The Bearcats fell to 11-16 overall and 7-14 in the PBC. The top eight teams in the league qualify for the conference tournament and Lander started the night one game out of eighth place. But the loss means Saturday's game at Augusta University could be its last of the season. The Bearcats, Young Harris and Georgia College are one game behind eighth-place Georgia Southwestern heading into the regular-season finale.

The Nighthawks improved to 12-15, 10-11.

North Georgia spoiled Lander's Senior Night as Bearcats Sergio Smith and Srdjan Ivic were honored before the tipoff.

Lander defeated North Georgia 110-106 on the road on Jan. 24, scoring the second-most points in program history that night. The Nighthawks scored over 100 again in the rematch but Lander could not keep pace this time.

North Georgia made 33 of 53 shots from the floor (62 percent) and 13 of 25 from 3-point territory (52 percent), and outrebounded the Bearcats 39-30. Thirty-four of their 39 boards were on the defensive end.

While Smith did not score in his final home game, Ivic had a career-best scoring night. Ivic scored 20 points on nine of 14 shooting from the floor and added a team-high eight rebounds and three steals. Smith did have six rebounds and three assists in his final Horne Arena game.

Freshman Sidney Robinson was Lander's top scorer with a game-high 21 points on eight of 15 shooting. Jordan Dingle added 17 points for the Bearcats, Rahu Purdie scored 15 points, and Nicklas Jonsson contributed 15 points while leading Lander with five assists.

Ephraim Tshimanga led the Nighthawks with 19 points while Ebo Smith added 17 points, including 12 of 12 free throws.

Carrod Watson added 16 points for North Georgia, Shaquan Cantrell scored 12 points, and Tyler Dominy added a double-double for the Nighthawks with 11 points and 10 rebounds, all on the defensive end.

North Georgia built an 8-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game. Dingle's 3-pointer from the right corner pulled the Bearcats within 16-13 with 14:27 left in the opening half. Purdie's fade-away jumper off Robinson's inbounds pass cut Lander's deficit to 19-17 at 13:29.

Robinson's 3 from the top of the key kept the Bearcats close at 28-22 at the 11:40 mark. But the Nighthawks went on an 11-0 run for a 39-22 lead, with Bennett Fuzak making two 3s and Quincy Poitier adding one from long range.

Ivic's 3 from the top of the key cut Lander's deficit to 47-37 with 3:53 left. But Lanre Olatunji dunked at the other end as North Georgia improved to 18 of 22 (82 percent) from the floor at the 3:42 mark.

Ivic's tap-in of a teammate's missed shot pulled the Bearcats within single digits at 51-43 with 1:50 left. But the visitors led 55-43 at the break on 21 of 27 accuracy (78 percent) from the floor, including seven of 10 from behind the arc.

Purdie's three-point play off a driving layup cut the Lander deficit to 59-48 with 16:45 mark. But the Nighthawks answered with yet another 3-pointer, this by Cantrell, to up the lead to 62-48.

Watson's 3 from the top of the key was North Georgia's 10th of the game, making it 70-54 at the 11:42 mark.

Ivic made a layup off an inbounds pass from Jonsson as Lander was within 72-60 with 9:23 to go.

Dominy banked in a 30-foot straightaway 3, upping the Knighthawks lead to 79-64 at the six-minute mark. Watson's 3 made it 86-69 with 4:38 left.

Purdie's 3 from the left side and a pair of Dingle baskets pulled Lander within 87-76 inside three minutes to go. But Watson made an open 3 from the top of the key, increasing North Georgia's lead to 90-76 with 2:23 left.

Jonsson's three-point play and Dingle's two free throws finally got the Bearcats within single digits at 90-81 with 1:38 left.

Jonsson made a 3 and Robinson added a layup, pulling Lander within 94-87 with one minute to go. Smith made two free throws for the Nighthawks but Ivic converted a three-point play to get within 96-90 with 46 seconds left.

But Smith made six more free throws to clinch the win.