GREENWOOD – The No. 18 Lander Bearcats fell victim to a 20-2 Columbus State run in the second half and lost to the Cougars 78-75 in Peach Belt Conference action Saturday afternoon in their regular-season home finale at Horne Arena.

Lander fell to 20-6 overall and 12-4 in the Peach Belt. North Georgia pulled into a first-place tie with a victory over Augusta, but the Bearcats remain the current top seed due to beating UNG twice.

Lander goes on the road for its final two regular season games at Flagler Wednesday and at USC Aiken next Saturday.

Columbus State improved to 13-12, 7-9.

It was Senior Day at Lander as seniors Phillip Burwell, Ajang Aguek and Nigel Colvin were recognized on the court before the game.

The Bearcats led 62-53 before the visitors stormed back, turning their nine-point deficit into a 73-64 lead.

Jacob Cooper paced Lander with 18 points and four assists. He had several big baskets in the second half before Columbus State made its big run.

Inady Legiste added 16 points on six of eight shooting from the floor and led the Bearcats with seven rebounds.

Colvin scored 12 points and Burwell 11 for Lander.

Wisdom Uboh led the Cougars with 19 points and five assists. Marquis Davison added 18 points for Columbus State, Caleb Byrd made three 3-pointers during the team's big run and finished with 11 points, and Jehloni James added nine points while leading all rebounders with 10.

Legiste made a 3-pointer and scored twice down low, Noah Dunn also made a trey and Tommy Moore added a layup as Lander rallied from an early 9-5 deficit into a 19-13 lead.

Kordell Brown's layup pulled Columbus State within 21-20 at the eight-minute mark. The Bearcats responded with a 12-3 run to take a 33-23 lead as Cooper weaved through traffic for a layup, Cooper scored again off an offensive rebound, Colvin and Dunn swished treys, and Legiste laid one high off the glass over two defenders.

Cooper made a driving layup with 32 seconds left and then was fouled on a 3-point shot and made all three free throws with one second to go, helping stake Lander to a 41-32 halftime lead.

Burwell and Aguek made corner 3-pointers as the Bearcats grabbed a 47-34 advantage early in the second half, their largest lead of the game. 

But two free throws after a flagrant foul and an Uboh trey pulled the Cougars within 47-39. Davison's trey cut the Columbus deficit to 50-46 with 15:26 to go.

Cooper crossed over and then spun in the lane for an acrobatic layup which he turned into a three-point play as Lander led 57-48 just inside the 14-minute mark.

Cooper made another layup and converted yet another three-point play on a drive to the basket as the Bearcats remained out in front 62-53. But Byrd made two treys as the Cougars trailed only 63-59 at the midway point of the second half, starting their big run.

Columbus State continued the run, tying it at 63-all with 9:22 left when Uboh made four of four free throws including two after a technical foul.

Cooper made one of two free throws giving Lander a 64-63 lead. But after the Cougars grabbed three offensive rebounds, Byrd hit a corner 3-pointer giving the visitors a 66-64 advantage with 7:42 left. 

The Columbus State run grew to 20-2 on a James 3-pointer making it 73-64 with 5:40 to go.

Burwell ended the run with a layup and Colvin made a 3-pointer from the top of the key as Lander trailed 73-69 with 3:38 left.

Jarrett Adderton's free throws gave the Cougars a six-point lead with 2:36 to go.

After a turnover and missed 3-pointer on consecutive Bearcat possessions, they finally made a huge dent into their deficit with under a minute to go. Colvin made two free throws, then Burwell stole a pass near mid-court leading to a Colvin bucket as Lander trailed 75-73 with 39 seconds left.

Columbus State beat the full-court press this time, wound the shot clock down and Adderton was fouled with 16 seconds left. His two free throws gave the visitors a 77-73 advantage.

Burwell's driving layup pulled the Bearcats within 77-75 with nine seconds left. The Cougars' Jaydon Hall was immediately fouled and missed the first free throw off the front of the rim, the team's first miss in 19 tries from the stripe. He made the second free throw for a 78-75 lead.

Cooper took the inbounds pass and attempted a step-back 3-pointer from the top of the key with one second left, but it was off the mark.