GREENWOOD – The Lander men's basketball team suffered its second heart-breaking defeat of the week Wednesday night after leading No. 18-ranked Flagler by 16 points with under four minutes to go, seeing the Saints hit a game-tying 3 at the buzzer and losing the Peach Belt Conference game in overtime 98-91 at Horne Arena.

The Bearcats, who lost to Columbus State Monday night on a basket with two seconds left, fell to 6-8 overall and 4-6 in the PBC.

Flagler won its ninth consecutive league game, improving to 11-2 overall and 9-1 in the PBC. The Saints also have wins over Division I Central Michigan and North Florida this season.

Lander's 15-game winning streak over Flagler dating back to 2014 was snapped.

The loss to Columbus State on a near buzzer-beater was tough. But this time the Bearcats led almost the last 26 minutes of regulation, including 82-66 with 3:58 to go. Lander was up 85-82 in the final seconds when Chase Fiddler hit a game-tying 3 at the buzzer to force overtime.

Flagler then outscored the Bearcats 13-6 in overtime.

Deon Berrien paced Lander with a double-double, leading the team with 24 points and 10 rebounds. He hit eight of 14 shots from the floor including four of six from behind the arc, including two straight 3s that made the score 82-66.

Jared Sherfield tied a season-high with 15 points for the Bearcats. Zane Rankin added 14 points and seven rebounds for Lander.

DaJuan Moorer contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots for the Bearcats. Jermaine Patterson added nine points, a team-high eight assists and seven rebounds for the Blue and Gold.

Jaizec Lottie had a spectacular game for Flagler. Averaging 25 points per game coming in, he scored only seven in the first half. But he scored 21 points in the second half and eight in overtime, finishing with a game-high 36 points. He also led the Saints with seven assists.

Derrick Ellis Jr. added 15 points for Flagler, Chris Metzger scored 14 points, and Jalen Barr added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Berrien scored seven points in one minute to rally Lander from a 17-14 deficit into a 21-19 lead with eight minutes to go in the opening half. He made two driving layups and a 3 from the left corner.

After the Saints tied it at 23, Moorer scored four straight to put the Blue and Gold back into a lead it would not relinquish until overtime. Berrien converted a three-point play on a made jumper from behind the free-throw line for a 33-25 advantage with 4:35 to go.

After Metzger's basket cut Flagler's deficit to 35-29 at the three-minute mark, Lander scored seven quick points. Berrien was credited with a basket on a goal-tending call, Patterson hit a jumper near the free-throw line, and Berrien buried a step-back 3 from the top of the key to give the Bearcats a 42-29 advantage with 1:44 left.

Rankin added a trey from the left corner to help extend Lander's lead to 46-33 at the intermission.

Patterson's 3 upped the Blue and Gold's advantage to 52-37 with 18:41 to go. After Lottie's 3 pulled the Saints within 52-44 at the 15-minute mark, the Bearcats responded with a big 8-0 run. Rankin hit a pair of 3s from the right corner and when Rankin finally missed from long range, Patterson slid in for the rebound and put-back to make it 60-44 with 13:11 to go.

Lottie scored eight consecutive Flagler points and then flipped a pass inside for a Metzger layup as the visitors stayed within striking distance, climbing within 69-59 at the 7:22 mark.

Lander pushed its lead back to 15 on Sherfield's 3 from the left corner and Marcus Thompson's two free throws, making it 74-59 with 6:29 to go.

And just as the Saints had climbed back within 10, Berrien swished back-to-back 3s to push Lander's advantage to 82-66 with 3:58 left.

Flagler responded to the challenge once again. Tyler Collier and Lottie made 3s during a 10-0 run as the Saints drew within 82-76 with 2:30 to go.

After the Bearcats made one of two free throws, Flagler kept coming. Collier made another 3 to draw the Saints within 83-79 and then Flagler drew an offensive foul but failed to score this time.

The game continued to get even more interesting. Lander ran the shot clock down to almost zero when Thompson drove to the basket and missed short, but the Saints were called for a foul and Thompson made one of two free throws for an 84-79 lead with 40 seconds left.

Lottie hit another long ball as Flagler was now down only two, 84-82, with 26 seconds to go.

MJ Armstrong hit one of two free throws with 19 seconds left for a three-point Lander lead.

The Bearcats played tough defense behind the arc with the visitors needing a 3 to tie. The Saints passed the ball five different times in the game's final 12 seconds as they tried to get an open shot. Lottie appeared as if he was going to try a desperation 3 with a defender in his face when he found Fiddler open close by in the left corner. Fiddler then swished a game-tying 3 at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Fiddler had been 0 for 6 from behind the 3-point line.

The Saints got off to a fast start in overtime with Lottie hitting a jumper and two Lander offensive fouls later, Barr scored inside for an 89-85 lead at the three-minute mark.

Berrien's two free throws pulled the Bearcats within two. But Lottie made two free throws and a basket while Ellis added two free throws, giving Flagler a 95-88 advantage with 34 seconds to go.

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