GREENWOOD, S.C. - Zez Steeple had 24 points and three other University of North Georgia men's basketball players finished in double figures, but it was not enough as Lander used a big second half to win, 96-82, Saturday afternoon.

Both teams went back-and-forth in the first half with North Georgia leading by as many as eight on two occasions before Lander pulled the game to within three as the sides headed into halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Bearcats went on a 16-3 run to take a 10-point lead with just over 13 minutes to play. UNG cut the lead in half within the next 90 seconds, but another 14-4 run for Lander stretched the lead back to double figures. The Nighthawks cut the lead to nine on several occasions in the final 10 minutes, but Lander answered each time.

NOTES
- Steeple shot 7-for-13 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. He added five assists and three boards in 33 minutes of action.

- KJ Jenkins and Zach Brown added 18 and 15, respectively, off the bench for the Nighthawks, while Darnell Snyers put up 12.

- Both teams shot 53 percent from the floor, and while UNG shot better from the three point line and the free throw line, the Bearcats had 12 second chance points, while UNG had zero.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will stay in Peach Belt Conference play as they take on Augusta Wednesday night inside Christenberry Fieldhouse. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m.