DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Lander Bearcats opened overtime with a 14-1 run and then held off Emmanuel University 86-78 Sunday night, advancing to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16.
Sixth-seeded Lander improved to 22-9 with the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinal victory at the Convocation Center on the campus of the University of North Georgia.
The Bearcats advanced to the Regional championship game to be played Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center in Dahlonega versus either host North Georgia or Catawba.
Tuesday night's winner advances to the Elite Eight to be played in Evansville, Ind.
Seventh-seeded Emmanuel, which upset USC Aiken in the quarterfinals Saturday, ended its season 26-7.
Inady Legiste posted his second consecutive double-double, leading Lander with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The junior scored 21 points and grabbed 10 boards in the quarterfinal victory over Lincoln Memorial Saturday.
Nigel Colvin made two 3-pointers in overtime and finished with 20 points for the Bearcats Sunday.
Noah Dunn contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Lander. Jacob Cooper added 15 points while leading the Bearcats with five assists. Phillip Burwell scored 10 points for Lander.
The nation's leading scorer Kelvin Jones paced the Lions with 28 points. But he scored only three in the first half; he averages 26 points per game.
Chris Dees scored 18 points for Emmanuel, Tavarus Webb added 12 points and Kendall Latney 10 points.
Lander took command at the very start of overtime as Legiste made a layup off an entry pass from Burwell to break the 65-all tie. Colvin answered a Lions free throw with a 3-pointer from the left wing making it 70-66 with 4:05 left in OT.
Legiste made two free throws and then added a layup after Cooper ran down an offensive rebound to keep the possession alive, increasing the Bearcat lead to 74-66 with 2:18 left.
Colvin hit a dagger 3-pointer from the right corner for a 77-66 cushion with 1:34 to go. Burwell added two free throws as the Bearcats matched their largest lead of the game at 13 points, 79-66, with 1:25 left.
But Emmanuel made things interesting. Jones converted a quick layup and followed a Lander turnover with a 3-pointer, cutting the Lion deficit to 79-71 with still one minute to go.
Colvin made two free throws, extending the Bearcat lead to 81-71 with 50 seconds left. But Emmanuel kept up the pressure.
Webb dunked and Jones converted another layup pulling the Lions within 82-77 with 26 seconds to go.
Cooper and Legiste each hit one of two free throws as Lander's lead extended to 84-78 inside 20 seconds to go.
Jones missed a 3-point attempt and then Bearcats senior Ajang Aguek clinched the victory with a pair of free throws with 10.7 seconds to go.
The Bearcats took an 8-2 lead when Dominic Stanford passed the ball from the post out to an open Legiste in the right corner for a 3-pointer, Burwell swished a trey from the top of the key, and Legiste made a layup.
The Lions responded with a 13-2 run, grabbing a 15-10 advantage. Dunn ended the run with a top of the key 3-pointer.
Cooper made an NBA range 3-pointer and added a pair of free throws, putting Lander back on top 18-17 with 8:37 left in the half.
Emmanuel regained a 21-20 lead on a pair of free throws. Lander responded with 10 unanswered points as Colvin made a 3-pointer from the right wing, Dunn swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Dunn drove toward the basket and made a floater, and Legiste converted a layup off a nice pass from Cooper for a 30-21 advantage.
The Bearcats led 34-26 at halftime.
Lander took its first double-digit lead on a Legiste layup, making it 36-26 with 19:16 left. Dunn's third 3-pointer of the game increased the Bearcat lead to 41-29 with 17:29 to go.
Lander's three-plus minute scoring drought from the floor ended on Cooper's driving layup, upping the lead to 44-34 with 14:06 remaining. Legiste followed with a 3-pointer, giving the Bearcats their largest lead in regulation at 47-34 with 13:36 left.
When Dees swished a long 3-pointer pulling Emmanuel within 47-39, Colvin answered it with a trey of his own from the top of the key as Lander led 50-39 at the 12:13 mark. Then the Lions began to come back.
Jones made a 3-pointer and added two free throws, cutting Emmanuel's deficit to 50-45 with 9:40 left.
Elisee Ehuie's trey from the top of the key pulled the Lions within two points and a jumper by Dees tied the game at 52-all with 7:16 to go.
Cooper put Lander back on top by converting a three-point play off a layup, making it 55-52.
Emmanuel took its first lead since it was 21-20 when Dees hit a jumper in the lane for a 60-59 advantage with 3:05 remaining.
Dunn and Jones each made a pair of free throws as the Lions still led 62-61 with 2:30 left.
Legiste made one of two free throws, tying the game at 62-apiece with 2:07 to go.
Each team committed turnovers and then Lander regained the lead off another turnover. Colvin collected a steal but missed a layup. Stanford grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball out to Dunn on the perimeter for a go-ahead trey, making it 65-62 with 1:16 left.
Webb quickly answered with a game-tying 3-pointer for the Lions with one minute to go, knotting the score at 65.
The Bearcats missed a 3-point attempt and had another shot blocked, giving Emmanuel a chance to take the lead with 21 seconds left. Jones missed a shot in the final seconds and the game would go into overtime tied at 65.
