Greenwood, S.C. - The Lander University Men's Basketball Team (6-4) defeated Lenoir-Rhyne University (2-8), 72-66, Thursday on the final day of the second annual Bearcat Holiday Classic at Horne Arena.

Lander's David Pruett (Sugar Hill, Ga.) led all scorers with 28 points to go along with six three-pointers as the Bearcats won their third straight game.

Pruett also scored Lander's final six points in the last 1:01 of regulation to hold off a late Lenoir-Rhyne rally en route to the win.

Junior guard Kevin Davis (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Bears with 17 points to go along with three treys while freshman guard Allan Jones (Clemmons, N.C.) added 15 points but L-R could not overcome a 14-point, first-half deficit.

Lander jumped out to a 32-18 lead on a lay-up by Stefan Tabasevic (Belgrade, SERBIA) with 6:41 left in the first half but L-R came back to cut the margin to 37-35 entering the break.

The Bearcats pushed their lead back to 13 points at 62-49 on a trey by Pruett with 7:49 remaining before the Bears rallied again.

A pair of three-pointers by Lenoir-Rhyne freshman guard R.J. McClure (Canton, N.C.) cut Lander's lead to three twice (66-63 and 69-66) in the final minute but Pruett and the Bearcats were able to hold on for the win.

Tovi Bailey (Villa Rica, Ga.) added nine points and nine assists for Lander, who shot 54 percent (26-of-48) for the contest.

McClure and freshman forward Bryce Hawkins (Charlotte, N.C.) also scored in double figures for Lenoir-Rhyne as they finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Lenoir-Rhyne?returns to?South Atlantic Conference play next Wednesday, January 5, when it travels to Anderson, S.C., to face Anderson beginning at 8 p.m.? Lander plays at Francis Marion in a Peach Belt Conference contest on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.