AUGUSTA, Ga. – After trading blows for most of the game, the Lander men's basketball team was unable to secure its first road victory since December 12, falling to the Augusta Jaguars 78-73.

Lander now sits at 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the PBC while Augusts moves to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the PBC.

Senior Sidney Robinson was three points away from his career-high, as his 31 points off the bench were the high-water mark for the team. Robinson shot an astounding 12-for-16 (.750) from the floor along with 7-of-10 (.700) from beyond the arc. He also put up two rebounds and two assists. The only other player in double figures for Lander was fellow senior DaJuan Moorer, who scored 18 points along with eight rebounds four assists and two steals. 

This halts the Bearcats stretch of seeing three or more players score in double figures at nine straight before tonight's loss.

Overall, Lander shot 30-for-70 (.429) from the floor and 8-of-30 (.267) from beyond the arc. Augusta shot 27-for-53 (.509) from the floor and 3-for-7 (.429) from 3-point range. 

Lander started strong, with junior Jermaine Patterson and Moorer hitting their shots to give the Bearcats an early 4-0 lead with 17:38 to go in the first before Augusta would respond with a 20-3 run. The Jaguar run was replaced with a 9-0 run by Lander that saw Robinson contribute seven of those nine points. The two teams would continue to trade blows, as the Bearcats found a late lead on a layup from redshirt sophomore MJ Armstrong, as Lander went into the half up 29-28.

The Bearcats quickly lost hold of their lead in the second frame and wouldn't get things tied up until the 10:52 mark when senior Deon Berrien made a layup as part of a 9-2 run. The Bearcats and Jaguars would trade possession of the lead three more times over the next two and a half minutes.

Late in the contest, Lander saw Robinson connect on two of his 3-pointers within roughly a minute of each other to first tie and then later give the Blue and Gold a 71-70 advantage with 1:51 to in the game.

The Jaguars however would go on an 8-2 run to close out the game, handing Lander its fifth road loss of the year.

Lander is back in action Saturday, January 23 as it hosts North Georgia at Finis Horne Arena.

#cLawsUp | @LanderMBB