GREENWOOD – Anne Secrest made 11 of 11 free throws as the Lander Bearcats survived a cold shooting afternoon from the field and beat Fayetteville State 54-49 Sunday at Horne Arena.
 
Lander improved to 2-3 overall while the Broncos fell to 3-3.
 
The Bearcats made 25 of 29 free throws (86 percent) including six of six in the final seconds. The effort from the line was especially important because they were only 14 of 54 from the floor (26 percent) including just one of 17 from behind the 3-point arc (6 percent).
 
Secrest paced Lander with 15 points and eight rebounds. Tyasia Freeman added 14 points, making six of eight free throws. Freeman, Tanyia Gordon and Kayla Sanders had seven rebounds apiece.
 
The Broncos shot only 33 percent from the floor (19 of 58) and had no double-figure scorers. Daziyahna Wilson, Rasheka Simmons and Aniylah Bryant paced Fayetteville State with nine points apiece.
 
Freeman's driving layup gave Lander a 13-5 lead with three minutes left in the opening quarter. But the Bearcats were otherwise cold from the floor, going 4 for 15 in the first period. The visitors closed the quarter with eight unanswered points, tying the game at 15 going into the second period.
 
The Broncos made only two of 14 shots in the second quarter, enabling Lander to build a lead. With the Bearcats up 19-17, Gordon saved a turnover and made a jumper in the lane, Secrest hit a layup, Freeman swished a pair of free throws, and Secrest converted a three-point play on a layup off a long pass from Quadaija Langley. The nine unanswered points gave Lander a 28-17 advantage.
 
The Bearcats led 28-19 at halftime. Each team shot just 31 percent from the floor in the first half and were a combined 0-for-13 from behind the arc (Lander 0 for 9, Fayetteville State 0 for 4).
 
The Broncos made their first two 3-point attempts in the second half as Wilson's trey pulled them within 32-29 inside the seven-minute mark.
 
But Vashae Rideout ended the Blue and Gold's 0 for 12 start from behind the arc as her 3-pointer made it 35-29. It was Lander's 206th consecutive game with at least one trey.
 
Fayetteville State scored nine unanswered points, taking a 38-36 lead on Bryant's 3 with 52 seconds left in the third. Secrest made two free throws with 24 seconds left to tie it at 38 going into the fourth quarter, the first points for the Bearcats in almost five minutes.
 
Secrest's two free throws gave Lander a 40-38 lead with 7:22 left in the game.
 
Langley's runner in the lane rolled in with 5:46 to go to break a 40-all tie, the Bearcats' first made field goal since Rideout's 3 with 6:41 left in the third. It ended a streak of 13 consecutive Lander missed shots.
 
Freeman's tough hook shot upped the Bearcat lead to 44-40 with 4:45 to go.
 
After Freeman made a pair of free throws, Langley's tear drop from the left side gave Lander a 48-44 advantage at the three-minute mark.
 
Bryant's layup pulled Fayetteville State within 48-46 with 1:38 left and then Simmons swished a step-back high-arcing 3 giving the Broncos a 49-48 lead with 1:15 to go.
 
Rideout made two free throws, putting the Bearcats back on top 50-49 with 38 seconds left.
 
Simmons attempted a 3-pointer that bounced off the front of the rim that was rebounded by Gordon. Fayetteville State let several seconds run off the clock before fouling Gordon, whose two free throws gave Lander a 52-49 advantage with 12 seconds left.
 
The Broncos missed a 3-pointer and Secrest clinched the win with two more free throws.

The Bearcats are back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Tusculum for a non-conference matchup. That game is scheduled for a 5:30 PM tip. 

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