FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 1-4-03

Men's College Basketball: AASU 69, Lander 58
Women's College Basketball: AASU 82, Lander 72

GREENWOOD, S.C. - The Armstrong Atlantic State women's basketball team opened up a huge 52-25 halftime lead and held on for an 82-72 victory over Lander on Saturday, helping the Lady Pirates improve to a school record-best 9-1 start to the 2002-03 season and take over first place in the Peach Belt Conference. AASU's men completed the doubleheader sweep with a 69-58 win over Lander.

The Lady Pirates (9-1, 3-0 PBC) shot 50 percent and canned seven three-pointers to sprint out to the 27-point halftime lead, then held on for their fifth straight win. Junior Tishay Lewis scored a season-high 30 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-15 shooting from the free-throw line to lead all scorers. Junior Vandy Noldon chipped in 16 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting as AASU surpassed the 1984-85 squad for the best start in school history. Lander (5-3, 0-1 PBC) got 15 points and 15 rebounds from Khalilah Henderson and 17 points from Tamika Lomax in the loss.

The AASU men saw junior Brian Bain come off the bench and score a season-high 22 points in its 11-point victory over Lander. The Pirates (3-7, 2-1 PBC) also saw junior Justin Wood hit five-of-six three-pointers for 17 points and junior Daryl Williams hit six-of-nine shots from the floor for 15 points as AASU recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Lander (2-6, 0-1 PBC) was led by Demetrius Crosby's 15 points.

The AASU women will be next in action on Wednesday, January 8 as the Lady Pirates host Spelman at 6:00 p.m. AASU's men's squad has the week off and will be in action next Saturday, January 11, at USC Spartanburg at 7:30 p.m.

- Pirates -