GREENWOOD - The Lander women's basketball team dropped its second game in Peach Belt Conference play Saturday afternoon, falling 62-60 to USC Beaufort inside
Finis Horne Arena. The Bearcats dropped to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in the league, while the Sand Sharks improved to 5-4 and 2-0 in PBC action.
For more than 35 minutes Saturday afternoon, it looked as though Lander had finally found its rhythm. The Bearcats controlled the boards, pushed the pace, and built an 18-point lead. But with 0.6 seconds on the clock, all of that momentum slipped away.
A foul on USC Beaufort's Taniyah Bowman sent the junior guard to the line with the score tied. She sank both free throws, quieting the crowd and lifting the Sand Sharks to a 62-60 Peach Belt Conference win, handing the Blue and Gold its second league loss of the season.
Lander opened the afternoon with purpose, shooting 60% in the first quarter and forcing nine turnovers to jump ahead 20-9. The Bearcats dominated the glass throughout the game, collecting 21 offensive rebounds and converting them into second-chance points that helped build a 41-23 lead midway through the third.
But USC Beaufort refused to fold. By the start of the fourth quarter, Lander's once-comfortable lead had dwindled to just a few possessions.
The Bearcats held their final lead at 58-57 with 1:29 remaining, but turnovers and empty possessions opened the door for a USC Beaufort comeback. Bowman, who finished with 17 points, forced the issue repeatedly, drawing contact and delivering at the line.
With the game tied in the closing second, a contested drive resulted in the whistle that sealed Lander's fate.
Lander saw balanced production throughout its lineup despite the loss.
Quadaija Langley led the Bearcats with 16 points on an assertive 7-for-21 shooting performance.
Trinity Thomas and
Lauren Crosland each contributed 11 points and six rebounds, providing steadiness on both ends of the floor.
Lauryn Hunt controlled the board for the Bearcats, bringing in seven rebounds.
The Bearcats also controlled the interior, out-rebounding USC Beaufort 45-29 and finishing with a 28-24 edge in points in the paint. But the 26 turnovers, four of them in the final five minutes, proved too costly to overcome.
Alongside Bowman's 17 points, Heyward added 14, and Lydia Gattozzi chipped in 10 with five assists. USC Beaufort shot 81.5 percent from the free-throw line, an edge that loomed large as Lander struggled to generate clean looks late.
Lander will attempt to regroup and find consistency as Peach Belt action continues. The Bearcats return to action in Horne Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 10, for a PBC matchup with Clayton State. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
