HICKORY, N.C. - Taking on a team that advanced to the Final Four last season, the Bears fell to No. 3 Lander on Sunday afternoon in the finale of the SAC / Peach Belt Challenge. Maddie Dillinger had her first career double-double finishing with 10 points and ten rebounds. 

GAME INFORMATION:
Final: No. 3 Lander  67, Lenoir-Rhyne 55
Records: No. 3 Lander (2-0), Lenoir-Rhyne (1-1)
Location: Shuford Gym

STATS AND INFO:

• This was the first meeting between these teams in Hickory since 2004. 
• The all-time series is now tied at five apiece with the Bobcats winning the last two. 
• Lander lost to Drury in the National Semifinal 74-65 in Columbus, Ohio in March. 
• LR has now lost its last seven games against nationally ranked opponents. 

FIRST HALF:

• Lenoir-Rhyne jumped out strong against the No. 3 Bearcats, holding the lead for 3:44 in the first quarter and never trailing by more than two.
• Tilda Lindstrom hit each of her 3-point attempts and Maddie Dillinger had four first-quarter points.
• Makaila Cange had nine first-quarter points for the visitors.
• The Bearcats extended the lead to as much as 13 in the second quarter and went into the break with a 43-32 lead.
• Cange had 18 points in the first half and added eight boards.
• Dillinger led the Bears with seven points and six boards.

SECOND HALF:

• Lenoir-Rhyne missed their first 13 shots of the second half before Hannah McClung's buzzer-beater gave LR its only field goal of the period. 
• Lander was held to 12 points in the quarter as the teams combined to shoot 5-of-23 in the quarter.
• The Bearcats took a 55-35 lead into the start of the fourth quarter.
• A Tatum McBride 3-pointer with 2:20 to play cut the Lander lead to 12 but the Bears couldn't draw any closer.

ABOUT THE BEARS:

• The Bears have not beaten a ranked team since defeating No. 20 Carson-Newman on December 5, 2018.
• Harman would finish with 14 points and added five rebounds and five assists. 
• Brandi Hudson finished with 11 points and had eight boards and Dillinger had 10 points and nine boards.
• Dillinger had her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds (seven offensive)
• The LR bench outscored Lander's 31-9.

NOTABLE BEARCATS:

• Cange led all scorers with 31 points and went 12-of-19 from the field and added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
• Miram Recarte and Zamiya Passmore each had 12 points and Passmore added six dimes.
• Recante added 11 rebounds to give the Bearcats two players with double-doubles.

UP NEXT:  The Bears will open SAC play with a home date with Wingate at 5:30 on Wednesday.