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GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Columbus State University men's basketball team lost its fifth straight game on Saturday, falling 86-76 at Lander. The Peach Belt Conference contest was played in Greenwood, S.C.
 
Jalen Thomas scored a career-best 18 points to lead the Cougars. Marcus Dixon added a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds, while Rudy Winters tallied his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 boards.
 
"Lander played well today and give them credit for that," head coach Robert Moore said. "We put ourselves in a hole in the first half and were forced to play catch up the rest of the day."
 
Columbus State (6-14, 6-11 PBC) played well for the opening nine minutes, trailing just 14-13. However, a 12-2 Lander run created an 11-point deficit for the Cougars to try and dig out of.
 
Thomas hit one of his 3-pointers and then forced a steal that led to a dunk by Dixon to get CSU back within three at 28-25. The Cougars stayed close over the next four minutes, but the Bearcats scored the last seven points of the first half and led 44-33 after 20 minutes.
 
Vic Ellis hit a 3-pointer to start the second half that made it an eight-point margin, but Lander responded with nine unanswered and led by double digits the rest of the way.
 
Lander (9-14, 5-12) led by as much as 23 in the second half before the Cougars chipped away at the lead down the stretch.
 
CSU shot just 36.8 percent (28-for-76) on the afternoon and was 6-for-22 from the 3-point line.
 
Columbus State will be at USC Aiken on Monday night as part of its three-game road swing. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.