GREENWOOD, S.C. --- Makaila Cange and Zamiya Passmore each scored 22 points to lift sixth-ranked Lander University to an 84-56 victory over Tusculum University in women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Finis Horne Arena.
The Bearcats (7-1) forced the Pioneers (3-7) into 27 turnovers, which they converted into 33 points. Sarah Crews added 11 points and eight assists and Miriam Recarte had eight points and nine rebounds to go along with five assists for Lander. Jakiyah Parker was the fourth player in double figures for the Bearcats with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Mya Belton led the shorthanded Pioneers with 12 points and seven rebounds and Deidre Cheremond matched her season high with 11 points to go along with a career-best nine rebounds. Lexi Patty added eight points and five rebounds as Tusculum finished the game at 35.5 percent (22-for-62) from the field and 5-for-11 from the foul line.
The Pioneers, who upset fourth-ranked North Georgia 54-38 on Wednesday evening, led 21-18 early in the second quarter thanks to a 7-0 run. The Bearcats responded with a 16-3 run to build a 39-29 lead at halftime, and used a 13-0 run in the third quarter to stretch their lead to 61-37. A personal 8-0 surge by Passmore in the fourth helped Lander to its largest lead at 29 points in the final five minutes.
The first quarter featured five ties, as the Pioneers evened the game at 12-12 on a three-pointer by Rogers with 1:40 left in the quarter followed by Cheremond on a jumper with 1:14 left to level the score at 14-14. A Recarte basket with 44 seconds left send Lander to the second quarter holding a 16-14 lead.
After a layup by Cange to open the second quarter, Tusculum scored seven straight points on a basket by Elle Hutchinson, a three-pointer from Cheremond and a layup by Rogers to go up 21-18 with 8:11 left in the first half. The lead would last less than a minute as baskets by Crews and Passmore sparked an 11-0 run for the Bearcats, pushing Lander in front 29-21 with 5:59 left in the half.
Lander led 39-29 at halftime as Passmore led all players with 12 points and Cange added eight. Lander shot 38.5 percent (15-for-39) from the field in the half and forced Tusculum into 17 turnovers. The Pioneers shot 40 percent (12-for-30) in the half with Belton leading Tusculum with eight points and Cheremond adding seven with four rebounds.
Tusculum trailed 48-36 following a Patty layup with 5:03 left in the third quarter, but Lander ripped off 11 straight points as the Pioneers went 4 1/2 minutes without a field goal. Cange had 11 points during the quarter, which ended with Lander holding a 61-40 advantage.
In the fourth, Passmore took over as she collected eight points in a 2 1/2 minute stretch to extend Lander's lead to 75-46 with 4:25 remaining. The Bearcats would score just one field goal over the final four minutes, but went 6-for-6 from the foul line.
Lander outrebounded Tusculum 47-45 in the game, and the Bearcats outscored the Pioneers 17-9 on second chance points and 36-22 in the paint. Lander was 22-for-31 from the foul line as a team and shot 39.4 percent (28-for-71) from the field, including 6-for-20 from three-point range.
The Pioneers, who have played five of their first 10 games against nationally-ranked teams, return to South Atlantic Conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 15 with a home game against Newberry at 5:30 p.m. at Pioneer Arena. The Wolves (2-7, 2-5 SAC) lost 77-73 at home to Carson-Newman on Saturday and have lost five of their last six overall.
