GREENWOOD – The No. 13-ranked Lander women's basketball team got a double-double from Makaila Cange as the Bearcats opened their 2020-21 season with a 67-45 victory over Augusta Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena.

Lander is 1-0 on the season while the Jaguars fell to 1-3. Although the two teams are Peach Belt Conference rivals, this was a non-conference game.

It was Lander's 14th consecutive win over Augusta.

Cange paced the Bearcats with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The sophomore forward made seven of 11 shots from the floor and added three steals.

Preseason All Peach Belt sophomore guard Zamiya Passmore added 11 points while leading Lander with six assists and adding three steals.

Amiaya Melvins also scored 11 points for the Bearcats while adding six rebounds. Jakiyah Parker and Sarah Crews added eight points apiece for Lander.

Miriam Recarte contributed four points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots for the Bearcats. Quin'De'Ja Hamilton added seven points and seven boards.

Zairya West led Augusta with 11 points while Kennedi Manning added eight points. Jalea Gray contributed seven points while pacing the Jaguars with seven rebounds. Kiera Howard paced Augusta with five assists.

The Bearcats made 27 of 66 shots from the floor (41 percent), 10 of 15 free throws (67 percent) and three of 12 shots from three-point range (25 percent) while out-rebounding Augusta 43-34.

The Jaguars made 16 of 50 shots (32 percent), 10 of 16 from the stripe (62 percent) and three of 11 from behind the arc (27 percent). Augusta had 22 turnovers to only 12 for Lander.

After Augusta took a 2-0 lead, the Bearcats scored 11 unanswered points and never looked back. Cange scored the first two baskets in the 11-0 run, Crews hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Passmore made a floater in the lane, and Recarte added a layup.

Crews made her second trey of the game, giving Lander a 19-4 lead with one minute left in the first quarter. The Bearcats were up 19-7 at the end of the opening period.

The Jaguars outscored Lander 9-4 in the first six-and-a-half minutes of the second quarter, closing within 23-18 on West's jumper with 3:46 left in the half.

But the Bearcats got some breathing room again with eight unanswered points. Parker made two free throws and a basket, Hamilton added a bucket, and Tyasia Freeman's layup – the freshman's first college basket - gave Lander a 31-18 advantage with 45 seconds until halftime. The Bearcats led 31-20 at the break.

Manning's basket pulled Augusta within 33-26 with 7:46 left in the third quarter. But Hamilton made a long 3 from the right side, pushing Lander's lead to 41-28 with 4:46 to go in the third.

The Bearcats led 46-32 going into the final quarter.

Cange scored three consecutive Lander baskets and then her steal and pass to Melvins for a driving layup gave the Bearcats a 57-38 advantage with 5:19 to go.

Lander's first 20-point lead of the game came with 4:10 left on the first of Cange's two free throws, making it 60-40. Parker's layup off a pass from Melvins gave the Bearcats their largest lead of the game at 67-42 at the one-minute mark.

Lander's next game is Saturday, Jan. 2, at 1:30 p.m. at home versus Belmont Abbey.

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