GREENWOOD, S.C. - Dominic Stanford and Jared Sherfield combined for more than half of Lander's points as the Bearcats broke out of a 22-all halftime tie and pulled away from Claflin 65-48 in a non-conference game Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena.

Lander won its fourth straight, sweeping the season series and improving to 5-4 on the season. The Bearcats won at Claflin in Orangeburg, S.C., 80-58 on Nov. 29.

The Panthers fell to 2-7.

Stanford led all scorers with 19 points, making six of eight shots from the floor including two of two from 3-point range and five of six free throws. He also paced Lander with six rebounds.

Sherfield added 16 points on six of nine shooting, including three of four from behind the arc.

LaRaymond Spivery and DaJuan Moorer added nine points apiece for the Bearcats. Spivery and Navaughn Maise led the Blue and Gold with four assists apiece. 

Romero Hill was Claflin's only double-figure scorer with 12 points. Allen Hatchett and Marquez Ray paced the Panthers with six rebounds apiece.

Claflin made only eight field goals in the second half, including two of 14 attempts from 3-point range.

Overall, Lander made 24 of 45 shots from the floor (53 percent) including seven of 14 from 3-point range (50 percent). The Panthers hit 17 of 53 shots (32 percent) and only five of 25 from behind the arc (20 percent).

Moorer's three-point play gave the Bearcats a 7-4 lead with 13:45 left in a low-scoring opening half. But Claflin went on an 11-2 run and led 15-9 inside the nine-minute mark.

Martin Vogts hit a 3-pointer as Lander pulled within 15-12. But HowVante Hutcherson's dunk put the Panthers up 17-12 just inside seven minutes to go.

Spivery made a driving layup and added a pair of assists while Stanford scored on a long jumper, a transition layup, and another long jump shot as the Bearcats regained the lead late in the first half. 

Claflin's Richard Visitacion tied it at 22-all with a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the half.

The Blue and Gold got off to a good start in the second half. Maise was credited with a basket due to goal-tending, Sherfield hit a 3-pointer from the left side, Stanford made a layup, and then Sherfield added a driving layup as well as a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 34-24 Lander lead with 14:55 to go.

Spivery's left corner 3-pointer increased Lander's lead to 43-26 with 11:57 to go.

Hill's step-back 3-pointer from the top of the key pulled the Panthers within 43-33 with 10:23 left. That was as close as the score would get.

Sherfield's 3-pointer from in front of Lander's bench on the right side gave the Bearcats a 50-36 advantage with 5:33 to go while Stanford's trey pushed the lead to 17 inside five minutes left.


Stanford added another 3-pointer from the right corner, making it 56-39 with 4:16 remaining. Sherfield's back-door layup off a pass from Maise gave the Bearcats a 58-41 lead with 3:36 left.

The lead grew to 20, 61-41, with 3:08 to go when Stanford was fouled behind the arc and made all three free throws.

#cLawsUp | @LanderMBB