GREENWOOD, S.C. - The Columbus State University men's basketball team couldn't overcome a slow start on Friday, suffering an 83-71 defeat to Lander University in the team's Peach Belt Conference opener in Finis Horne Arena.
CSU (8-2, 0-1 PBC) never led on Friday as the Bearcats rattled off the game's first 11 points to jump out in front.
"When you did yourself a huge hole as we did, it's hard to come back," said head coach
Robert Moore. "Give Lander credit though, because they came out firing and connected."
Lander (6-4, 1-0) shot a blistering 53.6% (30-for-56), including going 13-for-27 (48.1%) from three. Dominic Stanford and Nigel Colvin each had four 3's with Standford leading the team with 22 points.
The Cougars never crumbled in the game, crawling back within six, 49-43, with 14:11 to go. However, the Bearcats got hot again from deep, draining three more trifectas over the next four-plus minutes to go back up 15.
Christian Chambers (16),
Langston Gaither (15) and
Nelson Haskin (11) all scored in double figures for Columbus State.
Anthony Moore had a nine-point, eight-rebound performance.
As a team, Columbus State shot 39.1% (25-for-64) overall and was 8-for-24 from beyond the arc.
UP NEXT
Columbus State will play one final game in 2021 on Monday, Dec. 20, hosting No. 8 Augusta University inside the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center at 7:30 p.m.
