PEMBROKE – Lander's Aarika Judge recorded a double-double performance with 41 points and 11 rebounds as the Bearcats defeated the UNCP women's basketball team, 77-68, in Peach Belt Conference action on Monday night in the English E. Jones Center. 

The Bearcats (2-4, 1-1 PBC) enhance in the all-time series, 43-18, while the Lady Braves (5-3, 0-2) have lost back-to-back PBC games. Judge's 41 points tie a longtime Lander single-game scoring record. Each squad grabbed 36 boards in the contest. Turnovers were costly for the Lady Braves, who turned the ball over more than 15 times, allowing the Bearcats to score 15 points off of turnovers. 

"I thought we were poor in every aspect of the game. We started off good, we were 7-2, but then after that we didn't do anything well. We didn't rebound well, I thought we guarded very poorly, and we gave them too many easy shots," said UNCP head coach John Haskins. "It was a very poor effort in the first half, but I thought we responded back in the second half. Judge was just unbelievable. I think that's the best performance I've seen in a Peach Belt game." 

Taylor Gallentine led the UNCP offense, totaling 20 points and going five-of-nine from the perimeter. Jazmine Kemp and Kierra Haney added 16 points and 12 points, respectively. Chandrica Fuller and Jasmine Hairston pulled down a team-best six rebounds apiece. The Lady Braves shot 44.4 percent (eight-of-18) from behind the 3 point arch. 

In addition to 41 points from Judge, the Bearcats got double digit performances from Kenyona Armstrong and Precious Elkins, with 14 points from Armstrong and 12 from Elkins. Emili Russ and Jamie Saw each tallied six rebounds.

Lander entered the second half with a 36-26 lead. The Bearcats maintained control of the final 20 minutes, never falling behind UNCP, and taking a 15-point lead three separate times. With less than seven minutes to play a layup from Fuller cut Lander's lead to 10, as the Lady Braves threatened a comeback. Hairston brought UNCP within five with one minute left to play, but a triple and a free throw from Judge would solidify the 77-68 victory for Lander.  

The Lady Braves jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead in the first half. Two consecutive made free throws from Elkins gave Lander their first lead of the night at 17-16 with 9:42 remaining in the half. The Bearcats continued to see their lead grow, as a trey from Armstrong would give Lander a 13-point advantage going into the half.

UNCP will be back in action on December 30 as the Lady Braves take on Coker (6-2) in the first game of the Stair South Classic in Milledgeville, Ga., tipoff is slated for 4:00 p.m.

To watch the full game click HERE.