LAKELAND, Fla. – On the second leg of a back-to-back at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic on Sunday morning, the No. 7 Lander men's basketball team lost a tight battle to No. 12 Oklahoma Baptist, 59-56.
Lander raced out to a 15-0 lead over the first four minutes of the game as
Jameel Rideout and
Amir Reaves built on their stellar performances Saturday with a combined five 3s in quick succession. The pace settled but the Bearcats were able to increase their lead to 36-19 late in the first half before carrying a 36-21 advantage into the locker room.
Oklahoma Baptist worked the gap down to 44-37 over the first seven minutes of the second half and made it a five-point game with 10 minutes left. The Bison tied it at 48 with six minutes to go after Lander hit a four-minute scoreless spell.
Qurahn Anderson gave the lead back to Lander at 50-49 a minute later with a tough floater in the lane. Rideout then drilled a contested 3 from the top of the arc on an out-of-bounds play to make it 53-52 Bearcats with three minutes on the clock.
RJ Ingram assisted on that play and promptly sank a 3 of his own from the left corner with a minute left in a heart-thumping run to the finish, putting Lander on top 56-54. OBU responded with a 3-ball as the shot clock expired on the next possession to regain a one-point margin.
Navaughn Maise's 3 glanced off the front of the rim on the next Bearcat possession; the Bison collected the rebound and made two free throws.
Rideout missed a trey on the Bearcats' final trip down the floor, but
Jake Tringone battled for the rebound and found
Amir Reaves on the right wing, whose shot came up short at the buzzer.
Tringone grabbed eight rebounds and Rideout had nine to lead the Bearcats. Rideout finished with 14 points, Reaves had 15, and Ingram scored 10 to go along with seven boards. Lander hit 10 of 12 from the free-throw line.
The Bearcats return to Greenwood for their home-opener on Friday night, Nov. 13 at 7 versus UNC Pembroke.
