YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – After battling back to within one point with 43 seconds left in the game, the Lander men's basketball team would, unfortunately, fall on the road 73-68 at Young Harris Wednesday evening.
Lander falls to 15-6 overall and 7-4 in the PBC while Young Harris moves to 16-4 overall and 7-4 in the PBC.
Chandler Lindsey led all scorers with 21 points while adding seven rebounds, three assists and two assists. Jaylon Pugh joined Lindsey in double-figure scoring with 13 points.
Lander would fall behind 11-5 with 15:16 left in the first half to begin the contest. Moore hit a 3-pointer while Ajang Aguek hit a pair of free throws to keep the Bearcats in the contest.
Noah Dunn would then convert a layup before Lindsey hit a jump in the paint and made a layup to tie the game at 11 with 12:53 left in the first half.
A 3-pointer from Lindsey would help give the Bearcats their first lead of the game at 11:19 with eh score 21-19 in favor of the Blue and Gold.
The Mountain Lions would hit a pair of 3-pointers to take the lead back with 9:59 remaining in the first half.
The two sides would battle for the rest of the half, with the Mountain Lions keeping the Bearcats at bay. Lander would get within three points of Young Harris after a jumper in the pain fell for Dominic Stanford fell with 5:19 to make it a 31-28 contest in favor of the Mountain Lions.
Young Harris would establish a 43-32 lead with 40 seconds left before Stanford got a buzzer-beater layup to fall to conclude the first half with Young Harris leading 43-34.
Lander shot 13-of-37 from the field in the first half along with 4-of-21 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Young Harris went 15-of-26 from the field in the first half along with 9-of-14 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Lander would start the second half with a pair of 3-pointers from Stanford and Lindsey to get within three points of Young Harris with 17:55 left before the Mountain Lions converted a layup to stop the Bearcats' scoring run.
Another Lindsey 3-pointer made it 45-43 with 16:51 left.
Young Harris would counter with a 9-2 run to go up 54-45 with 11:38 left in the second half.
Lander would battle and turn the tide on Young Harris with a 12-4 run to get the score to 58-57 with 8:28 remaining.
After a free throw fell for the Mountain Lions, Pugh would hit a jumper to get the contest tied at 59 with 7:38 left in the second half.
Lindsey would drive and sink a layup to put Lander in front 61-59 with 5:30 before a pair of free throws were made by Young Harris to tie the game at 61 with 5:05 remaining.
Young Harris would make another pair of free throws to go up by two before Pugh drained a 3-pointer to put the Blue and Gold back on top 64-63 with 4:26 left.
Young Harris would hit a pair of free throws to take the lead back with 2:18 left.
The Mountain Lions would hold the lead for the remainder of the game. Lander would get within one point of Young Harris twice. Lindsey hit a pair of free throws to make it 67-66 with 1:29 remaining while hitting a jumper in the paint with 43 seconds to make it a 69-68 contest.
Young Harris would hit a jumper and flush a dunk to close out the game and win 73-68.
Lander shot 25-of-67 from the field for the game while going 10-of-37 from 3-point range and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Young Harris went 22-of-55 from the field for the game while going 9-of-18 from 3-point range and 14-of-17 from the free throw line.
Lander stays on the road as it travels to USC Aiken on February 4 for a 3:30 pm start.
Keep up to date with your Bearcats and never miss a moment of the action! Follow Lander athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for continued
