GREENWOOD, S.C. – Aniaya Jester and
Vashae Rideout each scored career highs as the No. 8-ranked Lander Bearcats used a 37-13 run in the second half to rally past Peach Belt Conference rival Flagler 85-72 on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena.
Lander scored 34 points in the final quarter on 14 of 21 shooting to pull out the victory in the last regular-season game, improving a 21-3 overall and 15-3 in the PBC. The Bearcats will next play Wednesday in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
The Saints, who led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, fell to 12-16, 6-12.
The Bearcats have won 15 of their last 16 against Flagler, including their current seven-game winning streak. But this game wasn't easy as Lander trailed 44-31 early in the third.
Trailing 52-44 with two-plus minutes left in the third quarter, the Blue and Gold responded with 11 unanswered points and an overall run of 37-13 to take an 81-65 lead with just under three minutes left in the game.
Jester led all scorers with 25 points, beating her previous career high of 21 versus Columbus State Feb. 8, 2020. The junior guard scored 21 of her 25 points in the second half including 14 in the fourth quarter. Jester also paced the Bearcats with 11 rebounds to complete a double-double while also leading the team with seven assists.
Rideout also posted her career high with 22 points, beating the 17 she scored in a victory at Young Harris just last Wednesday.
Sarah Crews scored 10 of her 12 points for Lander in the second half, making three straight 3-pointers during the crucial second-half rally while contributing three steals.
Miriam Recarte added nine points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Bearcats. All 10 of her rebounds were on the defensive end as Lander out-boarded Flagler 31-13 in the second half.
Amiaya Melvins contributed four points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Bearcats. Lander's leading scorer on the season
Makaila Cange added six points and seven boards before fouling out in the fourth.
It would be the final regular season home games for Crews, Recarte and Melvins.
Jaziana Mathis paced Flagler with 20 points, Sharale McCormick scored 19 points, Taylor Gardner added 15 points, and Tori Pearce contributed 10 points and a game-high eight assists.
The Bearcats missed nine of their first 10 shots and were only four of 15 from the floor inside 1:30 left in the opening quarter. Meanwhile, Flagler was sizzling, making nine of its first 12 attempts including three of four from behind the arc as the visitors built a 22-12 lead.
But Rideout made a floater from the right side and Recarte buried a 3-pointer from the right corner as Lander closed the quarter with a 5-0 run and trailed 22-17 going into the second period.
Rideout's layup in transition pulled the Bearcats within 22-20 with nine minutes left in the half. But Pearce's jumper gave Flagler a 30-22 advantage at the five-minute mark.
McCormick's basket pushed the Saint lead to 35-25 with 1:45 until halftime. But Crews and Jakiyah Parker scored as Lander was within 35-29 at the intermission.
The Bearcats drew first blood in the second half on Cange's layup, cutting the deficit to 35-31. But Flagler went on a 9-0 run including five points by Mathis, making it 44-31 with 7:21 left in the third.
Lander responded with seven unanswered points over the next minute, including five points by Jester, to close within 44-38 at the 6:06 mark.
The Bearcats had a sequence where they missed five shots but grabbed four offensive rebounds and a steal before Crews made a 3-pointer from the top of the key, pulling the Blue and Gold within 47-41 with 4:36 to go. Cierra Revelle collected three offensive rebounds and a steal during the frantic 35 seconds.
Gardner's layup gave the Saints a 52-44 advantage with 2:34 left in the third. But Lander closed the quarter with a 7-0 run as Jester hit a 3-pointer while Recarte and Rideout scored to pull within 52-51 going into the final period.
Rideout's driving basket in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter put the Bearcats on top 53-52, their first lead since it was 1-0. Jester followed with a basket, completing an 11-0 Lander run.
Crews swished a 3-pointer for a 58-54 Bearcat lead while Jester made a driving layup off Rideout's steal for a 62-56 advantage at the seven-minute mark.
Crews made another 3-pointer while Jester completed a three-point play, giving the Blue and Gold a 68-60 lead inside six minutes left.
Jester completed a three-point play as she was fouled on a layup off a back-door pass from Cange as Lander took its first double-digit lead at 71-60 with 5:10 to go.
Pearce's free throw cut Flagler's deficit to 73-65 with 4:15 left. But Jester made a driving layup with the shot clock winding down, Melvins completed a three-point play, Crews added a technical free throw, and Rideout converted a layup off a long pass from Jester for an 81-65 advantage inside three minutes to go.
