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No. 10 Lady Bearcats cruise past Augusta State, 99-51

Ciara Lyons

GREENWOOD - Ciara Lyons scored a game-high 20 points and led four players in double figures Saturday afternoon to pace the No. 10-ranked Lander women's basketball team to a 99-51 Peach Belt Conference victory over Augusta State in Horne Arena. The 48-point winning margin, keyed by 60-percent field goal shooting, is Lander's biggest of the season.

The Lady Bearcats, who have won 12 consecutive games, improve to 19-1 overall and remain unbeaten in the PBC at 12-0. The 19-1 record ties the 1980-81 Lander team with the best start in the program's history. Augusta State falls to 1-20 overall and 0-12 in the PBC.

Lyons connected on 8-of-12 field goals and 4-of-4 free throws while recording a game-high six assists and four steals. Kaylyn Small made all eight of her field goals and was 2-of-5 from the free throw line for 18 points, while Shannon McKever posted her ninth double-double of the year with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Brittni Johnson added 13 points and five assists.

Kirsten Stallings led the Lady Jaguar attack with 15 points on 7-of-10 field goals and 1-of-1 free throw. Stallings and Eboni Davis both grabbed a team-high four rebounds.

Lander rushed out to an 11-0 lead by the 16:31 mark of the first half on three field goals by Lyons, a three-pointer from Jasmine Judge and a pair of Tasheba Butler free throws.

After ASU scored its first points on Briyana Evans' jumper with 15:13 left in the half, Lander pushed the lead to 16 points for the first time at 31-15 on Lyons' layup with 6:22 remaining.

Lander outscored the Lady Jags, 54-22, in the second half while shooting 70.4 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes.

The Lady Bearcats, who led 45-29 at halftime, connected on 37-of-61 field goals for 60.7 percent, including 9-of-21 three pointers (42.9 percent). The Lady Bearcats were 16-of-21 from the free throw line for 76.2 percent.

Augusta State was 21-of-56 from the floor for 37.5 percent, including 4-of-16 from the three-point line (25 percent). The Lady Jags made 5-of-6 foul shots for 83.3 percent.

Lander out-rebounded ASU, 35-28, and forced 31 turnovers while collecting 19 steals.

The Lady Bearcats travel to Savannah, Ga. on Monday to face Armstrong Atlantic State University at 5:30 p.m. in a PBC contest.