Columbus St. CSU 15-9,11-5 Peach Belt

Lander Lander 16-10,9-7 Peach Belt

Columbus St. CSU

15-9,11-5 Peach Belt

Final

Feb. 24, 2024

Lander Lander

16-10,9-7 Peach Belt

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Columbus St. CSU	20	16	15	18	69
Lander Lander	12	14	10	23	59

Summary
Box Score

Thomas Holland - Lander Athletics

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 2/24/2024 3:32:00 PM

Lander falls to Columbus State, remains in top four in Peach Belt

GREENWOOD – The Lander Bearcats remained in fourth place in the Peach Belt Conference standings but lost to PBC rival Columbus State 69-59 Saturday afternoon in their regular-season home finale at Horne Arena.

Lander fell to 16-10 overall and 9-7 in the conference. North Georgia also lost and stayed in fifth place at 8-8.

The Cougars improved to 15-9 overall, 11-5 in the league. They are in third place behind Georgia Southwestern and Augusta.

It was Senior Day at Lander as graduate students WyKira Johnson-Kelly (Franklinville, N.J.) and Aaliyah Bell (Pooler, Ga.) as well as senior Tanyia Gordon (Plant City, Fla.) were recognized on the court before the game.

The Bearcats did not have any double-figure scorers in the game until 20 seconds left when Quadaija Langley (Travelers Rest, S.C.) made a 3-pointer, giving her 11 points.

Johnson-Kelly scored nine points and led Lander with six assists. Amani Melendez (Woodbridge, Va.) and Ashley Tucker (Buffalo, N.Y.) also scored nine points for the Blue and Gold.

Jasmine Rai Stevens led all scorers with 16 points while Columbus State teammate Bre'Lyn Snipes added a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Letiya Reeves added 11 points for the Cougars.

The Bearcats went nearly five minutes without scoring during the first quarter and trailed 13-4. Langley made a 3-pointer to end the scoring drought. But Columbus State still led 20-12 going into the second period.

Lander drew within 25-20 on Johnson-Kelly's three-point play and Cory Santoro's (Bellevue, Ohio) 3-pointer. But the Cougars pushed their lead into double figures with a 6-0 run late in the first half.

Tucker's layup at the buzzer pulled the Bearcats within 36-26 at halftime.

Olivia West's put-back gave Columbus State a 45-29 advantage with 6:15 left in the third quarter. Melendez made a 3-pointer to cut Lander's deficit to 47-36. But the Bearcats trailed 51-36 going into the final quarter.

Lander tried to rally early in the fourth as Johnson-Kelly made a mid-range jumper and Langley swished a 3-pointer as the Blue and Gold were within 53-43 with 7:51 to go.

Down 58-44, the Bearcats once again pulled within 10 on Gordon's baseline jumper and Tucker's layup off an inbounds pass from Bell. But Columbus State scored the next two buckets, regaining its 14-point lead.

Lander pulled within single digits for the first time in the second half on one Johnson-Kelly free throw, Melendez's layup, and Tucker's layup after Johnson-Kelly blocked a shot at the other end. Tucker's basket pulled the Bearcats within 62-53 inside the three-minute mark.

Lander was not able to threaten any further despite late 3-pointers by Langley and Courtney Nesbitt (Loganville, Ga.).

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