GREENWOOD, SC - Lander University shot a sizzling 59 percent in the second half and the 20th-ranked Lady Bearcats claimed a 91-86 win over 15th-ranked Francis Marion University, Wednesday night (Jan. 6) in a Peach Belt Conference battle for first place in the Eastern Division.

Francis Marion (10-2, 2-1) lost for the first time in its last three trips to Greenwood, while the Lady Bearcats (11-1, 4-0) remain unbeaten in conference play.

Junior Shannon Singleton-Bates paced FMU with 21 points, while senior Nicole Mealing added 13 points and eight rebounds.  Junior 6-0 center Tiahana Bowens, playing in just her third game since joining the Patriots, came off the bench and chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds.

Ciara Lyons led Lander with a career-high 27 points, while Brittni Johnson added 19 points.

Despite trailing for nearly the entire first half, including a one-time 12-point deficit, a three-point play by guard Monica Mann gave Francis Marion a 36-33 halftime lead.

Lander scored the first 11 points of the second stanza to quickly erase that lead.  The Lady Bearcats connect on 23-of-39 field goal attempts over the final 20 minutes.

FMU rallied to tie the game on several occasions, and the Patriots would take a 68-64 lead after a Bowens' jumper with 7:52 remaining.  Lander held a 78-76 advantage with 3:12 left.  Lyons and Mukia Myrick then sparked a 9-2 Lady Bearcat run that put the Patriots down 87-78.

Francis Marion pulled to within 87-81 with one minute remaining, and had chances to further trim the deficit but over a 22-second span FMU missed three shots and four free throws.   

Both teams made 33 field goals, including four three-pointers, but Lander was 21-of-35 at the free throw line, while the Patriots were 16-of-31.  FMU outrebounded Lander 55-48, but committed 28 turnovers while forcing only 16.

FMU will play at Augusta State University on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m.

1-6-10 5:30 pm at Horne Arena, Greenwood, S.C.
#20 LANDER UNIVERSITY 91, #15 FRANCIS MARION 86
FRANCIS MARION (#15 10-2 , 2-1)
Singleton-Bates, Sha 8-18 5-9 21; Mealing, Nicole 4-10 2-3 13; Bowens,
Tiahana 5-7 1-4 11; Mealing, Courtney 4-10 0-0 9; Franks, Shana 3-8 3-6 9;
Colbert, Robin 2-5 2-3 6; Mann, Monica 2-6 1-1 5; Tucker, Precious 2-3 0-0
4; Fields, Eboni 1-3 2-3 4; Downs, Danelle 1-2 0-2 2; Trice, Simone 1-3 0-0
2. Totals 33-75 16-31 86.
LANDER UNIVERSITY (#20 11-1 , 4-0)
Lyons, Ciara 11-20 5-7 27; Johnson, Brittni 5-15 8-8 19; Butler, Tasheba 4-5
4-8 12; McKever, Shannon 4-8 1-2 9; Judge, Jasmine 3-7 0-0 9; Myrick, Mukia
3-7 0-4 6; Small, Kaylyn 2-7 1-2 5; Phillips, Kami 1-5 2-4 4; Hupp, Katie
0-1 0-0 0; Webb, Brianna 0-0 0-0 0; Barnes, Keondra 0-1 0-0 0; Robbins,
Nardia 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 33-80 21-35 91.
Halftime: Francis Marion 36 Lander 33.
3-point goals--Francis Marion 4-10 (Mealing, Nicole 3-6; Mealing, Courtney
1-1; Franks, Shana 0-1; Mann, Monica 0-1; Fields, Eboni 0-1), Lander
University 4-17 (Judge, Jasmine 3-7; Johnson, Brittni 1-5; Myrick, Mukia
0-3; Phillips, Kami 0-2). Fouled out--Francis Marion-Fields, Eboni, Lander
University-McKever, Shannon. Rebounds--Francis Marion 55 (Bowens, Tiahana
9), Lander University 48 (McKever, Shannon 14). Assists--Francis Marion 14
(Colbert, Robin 3), Lander University 22 (Johnson, Brittni 7). Total
fouls--Francis Marion 23, Lander University 24. Technical fouls-None. A-310