GREENWOOD – The No. 3-ranked Lander women's basketball team got a career-high 25 points from freshman Natalia Crooke while Zamiya Passmore added 18 points and 11 assists as the undefeated Bearcats handled Peach Belt Conference rival UNC Pembroke 91-53 Wednesday evening at Horne Arena.

Lander improved to 10-0 overall and 8-0 in the Peach Belt. The Braves fell to 1-5, 1-4.

The Bearcats have won eight straight games against UNC Pembroke and 12 of their last 13 meetings with the Braves. Lander leads the all-time series 39-20. 

Crooke set a career-high in points in the first-half alone when she scored 20 points, making six of nine shots from 3-point range. She finished seven of 14 from behind the arc in the game while adding three steals.

Crooke's previous career-high was six points.

Passmore made seven of 11 shots from the floor and had four assists in each the second and third quarters. The 11 assists were one shy of a career-high.

Amiaya Melvins and Makaila Cange each fell one rebound shy of double-doubles for the Bearcats. Melvins added 14 points and nine boards while Cange chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds.

Miriam Recarte scored nine points for Lander while adding to her PBC blocked shots lead with four more, giving her 30 on the season.

Gabby Smith paced Pembroke with 14 points. Kelci Adams scored 12 points while leading the Braves with six rebounds.

The Bearcats had a 50-34 rebounding advantage. Lander has grabbed at least 40 rebounds in its last eight games.

The Bearcats built leads of 10-2 and 17-5 on their way to a 28-12 advantage after one quarter. Crooke scored eight points including a pair of 3s in the opening frame, Passmore had seven points and three assists, Cange six points and four rebounds, and Melvins six boards. 

Sarah Crews had a 3 from the right side, Tyasia Freeman made a pair of free throws after Passmore found her streaking toward the basket with a beautiful pass, and Crooke hit another 3 as Lander's lead grew to 38-18 at the seven-minute mark.

Crooke's fourth trey upped the Bearcat advantage to 45-20 at the four-minute mark. Passmore's three-point play made it 50-24 with 1:49 to go.

Crooke topped off her sizzling first-half performance with two more 3s in the final 46 seconds as Lander led 58-24 at the break.

The Bearcats increased their lead to 40 points when Passmore's two free throws made it 64-24 with 8:21 left in the third.

Melvins tracked down a teammate's air ball, drove in and scored, then made a layup off a nifty bounce pass in the lane from Passmore for a 71-29 advantage with 6:08 to go.

Lander made it 75-29 with 3:09 left when after Recarte blocked a shot, Passmore collected her 10th assist on a no-look pass to Cange for a layup.

Passmore's basket made it 83-35 going into the final quarter. The 48-point lead matched the largest of the game for the Bearcats.

Adams made a pair of 3s as the Braves opened the fourth period with 11 unanswered points, cutting their deficit to 83-46.

Crooke's seventh trey ended Pembroke's run and the lead was back to 40, 86-46. The Braves outscored Lander 18-8 in the fourth. 

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