GREENWOOD, S.C. - Dominic Stanford, Nigel Colvin and Jared Sherfield combined for 53 points as the Lander Bearcats got off to a fast start and cruised past Columbus State 83-71 in the Peach Belt Conference opener for both teams Friday afternoon at Horne Arena.

Lander earned its fifth consecutive victory, improving to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the Peach Belt. All six of the Bearcat wins have been by double figures.

The Cougars fell to 8-2 overall and 0-1 in the PBC.

Lander had a big shooting day, making 30 of 56 shots from the floor (54 percent), 10 of 12 free throws (83 percent) and 13 of 27 from behind the 3-point arc (48 percent).

Stanford led all scorers with 22 points. The freshman made eight of 13 shots including four of six from behind the 3-point line.

Colvin scored 16 points, making four of eight from behind the arc. Sherfield added 15 points while leading the Bearcats with eight rebounds.

DaJuan Moorer added 13 points for Lander while Navaughn Maise paced the team with five assists.

Christian Chambers led Columbus State with 16 points, Langston Gaither scored 15 points, and Nelson Haskin added 11 points. Anthony Moore scored nine points while leading the Cougars with eight rebounds.

The Bearcats took advantage of Columbus State's cold start, taking an 11-0 lead on 3-pointers by Zane Rankin, Sherfield and Colvin, and two free throws by Maise. The Cougars were 0-for-9 from the floor before Chambers collected a steal and driving layup, finally putting the visitors on the board with 14:10 left in the opening half.

Stanford swished a 3-pointer and Martin Vogts scored off a back-door pass from Moorer, giving the Blue and Gold a 16-2 lead with 13:13 to go. Tommy Moore's trey upped Lander's advantage to 19-5 with 12:30 left.

The Bearcats increased their lead to 23-10 at the 10-minute mark when Moorer got a steal and passed to Sherfield for a driving dunk. Colvin's 3-pointer from the left wing made it 28-12 just inside seven minutes to go.

Chambers made three of three free throws, pulling the Cougars within 28-18 with 5:32 left. But Lander's lead grew back to 15 when Stanford's trey from the right corner made it 33-18 with 4:12 to go.

Columbus State closed the half on an 11-3 run and trailed 36-29 at the break.


The Bearcats took 10-point leads on Stanford 3-pointer from the right corner on the first possession of the second half and on Maise's back-door pass to Sherfield for a layup, making it 43-33 with 18:18 left.

Sherfield made back-to-back 3-pointers as the Blue and Gold's lead increased to 55-43 with 12:32 to go. Stanford made a trey from the left side and Moorer scored in the paint for a 62-47 advantage at the midway point of the second half.

Colvin's 3-pointer increased Lander's lead to 71-55 with 6:18 left. Colvin made two technical free throws as the Bearcats led 75-63 with 2:40 to go.

Moorer drove to the basket for a layup and converted a three-point play, giving the Blue and Gold a 78-63 advantage with 1:44 left.