GREENWOOD, S.C. – Looking to upset the top team in the Peach Belt Conference East Division, the UNC Pembroke women's basketball squad led by two at the end of three quarters, but could not close the door on Lander, falling 68-59 Wednesday evening at Horne Arena.

The Braves fall to 10-12, 4-11 PBC with the setback and Lander improves to 18-6, 12-3 PBC with their sixth-consecutive victory. 

UNCP led 28-25 at halftime and 46-44 with one quarter to play, but were outscored 24-13 in the fourth.

A Mary Robinson layup with 8:45 to play in the final period put the Black & Gold up 48-46 before the Bearcats rattled off a 9-0 run to take the lead they would never relinquish. The closest the Braves came was five when Nadine Ealey knocked down a 3-pointer at the 2:24 mark to cut the lead to 62-57. Lander scored the next six points to kill any hopes of a UNCP upset.

Jonissa Monley poured in a career-high 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds on the way to her ninth double-double of her career. She was 10-of-16 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 at the charity stripe. Her 27 points are the most for a UNCP women's basketball player since JaToya Kemp scored 31 against Francis Marion on Jan. 2, 2011.

Robinson also racked up a double-double, going for 15 points and 11 rebounds. It's the third double-double of her career and just one rebound shy of her career-high 12.

The Bearcats spread the wealth evenly, putting four players in double figures, led by Bre Crum with 19 and Ty'Hesha Reynolds with 16. 

Lander outshot the Braves 42 percent (27-for-65) to 37 percent (22-for-59) from the field and 31 percent (8-for-26) to 20 percent (3-for-15) from behind the arc. UNCP missed just once at the free throw line, going 12-for-13, while the Bearcats were 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.

The Black & Gold outrebounded Lander 44-32, coming down with 14 offensive rebounds that led to 16 second-chance points. UNCP committed 26 turnovers that led to 27 Bearcat points. 

UNCP will host Armstrong State Saturday at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court at 1:30 p.m. on the front end of a women's-men's twinbill. This is the first meeting between the Braves and Pirates this season and the second will come just a week from Saturday, Feb. 20 in Savannah, Georgia.