Tournament website

ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College returns to the road to face No. 8 (WBCA Division II Top 25) Lander University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Finis Horne Arena in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinal game.

Flagler (12-16) is the No. 7 seed while Lander (21-3) is the No. 2 seed. The winner of this game will face the winner of the No. 3 Georgia Southwestern State University and No. 6 Clayton State University game on Saturday. That game will be played at the highest remaining seed (seeds 1-5) along with the rest of the tournament.

TICKETS
Tickets are available by purchasing them in advance through Hometown Ticketing at peachbeltconference.org/sports/2020/10/14/tickets.aspx. The cost is $10 per ticket for general admission. Students with a valid ID from a PBC school will be admitted free.

THE SERIES
Lander leads the all-time series 23-4 and has won the last seven games in a row, including both this year. The Bearcats won the opener in St. Augustine 77-63 on Jan. 29 and then rallied to beat Flagler last Saturday 85-72 at Greenwood, South Carolina.

In the game at Flagler Gym, Makaila Cange recorded a double-double with 23 points and 18 rebounds to lead No. 5 Lander. Amiaya Melvins added 15 points and eight rebounds while Miriam Recarte chipped in with 14 points and nine boards. Aniaya Jester tacked on 12 points and five assists. Lander made 20-of-23 free throws and out-rebounded Flagler 50-37, which included 18 offensive boards that led to 20 second chance points. Tori Pearce recorded Flagler's first double-double in four years when she scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and tallied 10 assists. Jaziana Mathis scored a team-high 19 points and corralled seven rebounds while Sharale McCormick added 10 points, three assists, and three steals.

At Greenwood, the Saints put a scare into the No. 8 Bearcats. Flagler led at the half 35-29 and had a slim 52-51 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Bearcats closed the third quarter on a 20-8 run and scored the first four points in the fourth to regain the lead. Jester led Lander with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Vashae Rideout added 22 points. The Bearcats out-rebounded the Saints 55-35 and had 22 offensive boards that led to 20 second chance points. Mathis led four Flagler players in double figures with 20 points. McCormick added 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Taylor Gardner finished with 15 points while Pearce just missed another triple-double with 10 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.

SCOUTING LANDER
The Bearcats (15-3 in conference play) enter the tournament having won their last four in a row. They boast the league's top offense as they are averaging 79.3 points per game and they have the best scoring margin at +20.0 ppg. Lander's defense is third in the league allowing 59.2 ppg. Makaila Cange, a preseason all-conference pick, leads the PBC in scoring (19.2 ppg) and field goal percentage (67.7), and is second in rebounding (10.1) and free throw percentage (78.1). Miriam Recarte leads the league in blocked shots (3.0). Sarah Crews is fourth in assists (4.2).  

SCOUTING FLAGLER
The Saints (6-12 in the PBC) have lost five-of-their-last-six games going into the tournament, but that one win was a 103-68 thrashing of Georgia College on "Senior Night." Flagler is second in the conference in free throw percentage (70.2) and third in field goal percentage (42.6). Pearce leads the PBC in assists per game (6.2) and is second in scoring (17.9) and steals per game (3.1). She is third in the nation in steals, fourth in assists, fifth in steals, and second in triple-doubles. Mathis is sixth in scoring (14.4) and eighth in field goal percentage (44.2).

FLAGLER IN THE PBC TOURNAMENT
2013: def. Montevallo (72-67); lost to North Georgia (70-66)
2014: lost to Columbus State (86-60)
2016: lost to Columbus State (72-54)
2018: lost to Georgia College (62-53)
2019: lost to Columbus State (71-68 in OT)   

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