MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – With four players in double figures including two with 20-plus, the Lander men's basketball team edged out host Georgia College 88-86 in overtime on Saturday afternoon at Centennial Center for a Peach Belt Conference win.
The Bearcats moved to 10-6 overall and 4-2 in the PBC while the Bobcats now sit at 5-11, 0-6.
Inady Legiste scored 19 points in the second half and overtime and finished with 26 altogether to lead Lander. Legiste shot 9 of 13 from the floor and drained all seven of his free-throw attempts to go along with nine rebounds.
Noah Dunn had 20 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists and steals. 13 of his points came in a hot-shooting first half where he went 3 of 6 from downtown and 5 of 9 overall.
Terry Leonard Jr. authored his second-highest collegiate scoring performance with 17 – all of them coming in the second half and overtime. Leonard Jr. also pulled down a career-best nine boards in 32 minutes of action, another career-high.
Jeremiah Holloway had 11 points and led the team in minutes played (44).
Perhaps the most noteworthy stretch in regulation came with 11 minutes left and the Blue and Gold narrowly trailing 52-51. Legiste converted and-one's on three consecutive possessions to put Lander back ahead 60-54 two minutes later and added a layup as part of his own 11-2 run for a 62-54 lead with 8:10 left.
The Bobcats slowly clawed back into the game and hit a 3 with 13 seconds remaining to tie it at 77; Dunn's long-range shot as the buzzer sounded fell short and sent the game to extra minutes.
Leonard Jr. and Dunn scored on back-to-back possessions in the extra stanza to stake Lander to an 81-80 lead. A pair of Legiste free throws and another make from Leonard Jr. made it 85-81 before Legiste made a layup and Dunn a free throw to bring it to 88-86.
GCSU missed a corner 3 at the buzzer as the Bearcats held on.
Lander, who led 39-32 after 20 minutes, made the most of its opportunities at the charity stripe, converting 19 of 23 foul shots (82.6%). The bench also came up big to the tune of a 40-12 margin over the Bobcats.
The Bearcats return home to
Finis Horne Arena this Wednesday night for a matchup with Augusta. Game time is scheduled for 7:30.
