GREENWOOD, S.C. – Nigel Grant scored a game-best 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting and the UNC Pembroke men's basketball team overcame 1-for-15 perimeter shooting, as well as an early 17-point deficit, to stun Lander, 81-78, on Wednesday evening in Horne Arena.
 
The triumph marked the third-straight win for the Braves (8-3, 4-1 PBC) who also picked up their sixth-straight victory in Horne Arena as well, including a pair in last season's run to the PBC Tournament championship. It was the third loss in the last four outings for the Bearcats (5-7, 1-5) who have now dropped 12 of the last 16 in the series, including the last five matchups with the Black & Gold.
 
Grant recorded his second 20+-point game of the season in just 24 minutes of action, and finished just two points away from matching his career high established last season in a New Year's Eve win over Barton at home. Senior Brandon Watts finished his night with 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting, while James Murray-Boyles came off the bench to add a dozen. Sophomore Micah Kinsey matched a career-best with five steals, while also adding 10 points and five rebounds as well.
 
Zane Ranking turned in a season-best 18 points to pace the hosts, while White Oak native Rahu Purdie scored 13 points, but offset his offensive production with a career high six turnovers as well.
 
The Braves opened up the second half with a 14-2 run and led by as many as nine points, 51-42, after Murray-Boyles' layup with 15:08 left to play, but the Bearcats answered with a 12-4 run to make it a one-point game just less than five minutes later. Sergio Smith gave the hosts a 73-68 lead on a fast-break layup with 4:18 remaining, but the Bearcats went 0-for-4 from the field and turned the ball over three times over a more than four-minute scoring drought that all but sealed their fate.
 
UNCP canned five-straight free throws in the final 35 seconds to ice the outcome.
 
Lander capitalized on a 0-for-10 start from the field by the Braves to storm out to a 17-0 lead by the 14:57 mark in the opening half, but UNCP hung around for the next 10 minutes before using a 14-4 run to climb back in it. Two free throws by Micah Kinsey with 49 seconds left cut the visitors' deficit down to just two points, 37-35, but the Bearcats eventually lugged a 39-36 advantage into the locker rooms.
 
The Braves will be back in action again on Saturday when they open up a two-game home stand against Georgia College (7-4, 3-2) in the second half of a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.