FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1-22-05

Men's College Basketball: Lander 57, AASU 56

Release Courtesy of Lander University Sports Information

GREENWOOD, S.C. - Jason Davis made a base-line jumper with four seconds left, giving the Lander Bearcats a 57-56 Peach Belt Conference victory over Armstrong Atlantic Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena.

Jamaal Galloway’s long three-point attempt bounced off the rim at the buzzer for Armstrong.

Lander improved to 11-6 overall and 4-2 in the Peach Belt. The Pirates fell to 11-6, 3-3.

Jarred Jackson led the Bearcats with 15 points, Davis added 13 points, and Michael Griffin scored all 10 of his points in the first half.

Lorenzo Lawrence led Armstrong Atlantic with 21 points, Alex Carter scored 15, and Bryan Taylor added 10 points.

Jackson hit two free throws to pull Lander within 56-55 with 1:16 left. The Pirates milked the shot clock on the ensuing possession, got an offensive rebound with 44 seconds left and were awarded a fresh shot clock. But the Bearcats played tough defense and Armstrong Atlantic committed a turnover with 17 seconds to go.

Davis made his jumper from the left side for the sixth lead change of the second half.

Lander struggled offensively early in the second half, not scoring from the field until Quentin Martin’s put-back basket pulled the hosts within 34-33 with 12:42 left. Davis hit a three-pointer to tie it at 36 at the 11:56 mark. Davis made a reverse layup to give the Bearcats their first lead of the second half, 40-38, with 9:24 to go.

Lander pushed its lead to 50-44 on a Jackson three-pointer with 5:33 left. But Lawrence hit two three-pointers and two free throws, giving Armstrong a 52-50 edge at the 3:52 mark. Carter’s bucket upped the lead to 54-50.

Jackson’s three-pointer pulled the Bearcats within 54-53 with 2:12 left and Taylor scored inside with 1:40 to go to make it 56-53, setting the stage for the game’s final minute.

Lander led the entire first half, opening the game with three-pointers by Griffin and Jackson for a 6-2 lead. Armstrong pulled within 11-10 before Joe McEachern had length-of-the court assists to Griffin and Davis, the latter resulting in a three-point play for a 16-10 lead. The Pirates twice pulled within two at 16-14 and then 29-27 on Galloway’s three-pointer. The Bearcats led 29-27 at the intermission.

Neither team shot well in the first half with Lander making 33 percent from the floor (9-for-27) and Armstrong 30 percent (8-for-27).

For the game, the Bearcats shot 33 percent from the floor (18-for-55), 93 percent from the line (14-for-15), and 33 percent from three-point range (7-for-21). Armstrong shot 35 percent from the floor (19-for-55), 81 percent from the line (13-for-16), and 25 percent from behind the arc (5-for-20). Lander had a 39-36 edge in rebounds and 10 turnovers to Armstrong’s nine.

- Pirates -