YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.  |  Breshay Johnson led Lander University with 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Bearcats defeated Young Harris College 72-50 in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Thursday (Dec. 14) afternoon at the YHC Basketball Arena.

The Bearcats improved to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in the PBC, while the Mountain Lions fell to 4-5 and 1-1. Young Harris returns to action Sunday (Dec. 17) when they travel to Augusta, Georgia, for a 1:30 p.m. league contest against Augusta University.

Lander jumped to an early lead (4-0) after a pair of baskets by Johnson. The Bearcats went on an 18-5 run to end the first quarter up 22-7. Johnson scored 12 of her 21 points in the first half as Lander had a 42-21 halftime lead.

The Mountain Lions shot 25.9 percent (7-of-27) from the floor and turned the ball over 13 times - leading to 14 Lander points - in the opening 20 minutes.

"We played scared the first 20 minutes," said YHC head coach Matt Stearsman. "I thought we were prepared to handle the pressure, but obviously we weren't. That's on me. In the second half we settled down and did some good things. You just can't spot a top 25 team a 20-point lead."

Lander went up as many as 32 points (60-28) in the game with 1:24 left in the third quarter. Eryn Cochran hit two three-pointers in the fourth quarter and Ashlyn Ellison scored seven points as the two combined for 13 points in the quarter for the Mountain Lions.

Ellison was the leading scorer for Young Harris with 13 points and three assists. Ge'Naisha Robinson picked up 12 points and Cochran tallied 11. Sarah Garner picked up six rebounds and Sara Jorgensen had six assists.

Destinee Langford collected 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Bearcats, while Chelsea Mitchell tallied 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, and six steals.