The Peach Belt Conference named Lander’s Makaila Cangé the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Jan. 17, 2022.

Cangé was absolutely incredible in two wins last week for the 10th-ranked Bearcats, averaging 32.5 points and 16 rebounds per game. The junior forward from Douglasville, Ga., scored 43 with 18 rebounds in a win over Augusta, then had 22 with 14 boards in a win over Clayton State. She shot an eye-popping 86% (24-28) from the field with a block, a steal and two assists.

Her 43 against Augusta is tied for the fifth-highest single-game point total in PBC history and is the second-highest scored in a game in NCAA Division II so far this season as well as a Lander school record.

She set another Lander record with 16 made field goals in that contest. She is ranked sixth in the nation in scoring at 21.5 ppg and is second nationally in field goal percentage. Cangé is also second in the PBC in rebounding and free throw percentage.

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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The No. 5-ranked Lander women’s basketball team erased a 13-point second-half deficit and rallied for a 79-74 win at Flagler Wednesday night.

Trailing by five with 2:12 to play, the Bearcats embarked on a 10-0 run as Makaila Cange converted two free throws to pull Lander within three. Zamiya Passmore buried a floater in the key, then drained a mid-range jumper on the ensuing possession to put Lander up 75-74 with 1:05 remaining. An offensive putback from Cangé off a missed three-pointer with 13 ticks remaining gave the Bearcats a three-point lead. Cangé then put the game away, stealing Flagler’s inbound pass and racing the distance for a game-sealing layup with two seconds to go.

Lander was led by 25 points and six assists from Passmore and a 22-point, 14-rebound effort from Cangé, her fifth double-double of the season. Amiaya Melvins added 12 points, while Sarah Crews finished with a pair of steals.

The Bearcats led for just 20 seconds in the first half and trailed by eight midway through the first quarter before a 12-4 run over the final 3:10 tied the score at 22-22. Flagler took a 42-38 lead into halftime and caught fire in the third quarter, outscoring Lander 20-7 over a 5:46 stretch to increase its advantage to 66-53 with 39 seconds left in the quarter. However, Cangé scored the final four points of the period to give Lander life entering the fourth.

Lander’s defense, which entered the game allowing just 50.6 points per contest, took over in the final quarter, holding Flagler to 3-of-15 shooting and forcing five Saint turnovers. Flagler took a 69-59 lead with 9:21 to play, but scored just twice for the remainder of the game.

The Bearcats travel to Young Harris on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off.

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GREENVILLE – Conference Carolinas Commissioner Chris Colvin unveiled the additions of Lander and Limestone as Associate Members in acrobatics and tumbling on Wednesday, June 3.

Lander and Limestone acrobatics and tumbling will officially join in the 2020-21 academic year and they will both be part of the inaugural season of Conference Carolinas sponsoring the NCAA Emerging Sport in 2021.

“I could not be more excited to announce the additions of Lander and Limestone as Associate Members in the growing sport of acrobatics and tumbling,” Colvin said. “The 2020-21 academic year will be historic for Conference Carolinas acrobatics and tumbling, and having nine programs involved in our inaugural conference season will allow us to build something special in year one and beyond.”

Conference Carolinas and the Mountain East Conference are the only NCAA conferences to presently sponsor the sport.

Conference Carolinas is now a sole sponsor of 23 sports, which is among the most in all of the NCAA. Including the collaboration with the South Atlantic Conference in men’s wrestling and field hockey, Conference Carolinas now provides its member institutions sports sponsorship in 25 different sports, which is the most in all of NCAA Division II (NE10 sponsors 24 sports).

Conference Carolinas will have nine programs competing in acrobatics and tumbling in the 2021 season in Belmont Abbey, Chowan, Coker, Converse, Emmanuel, Erskine, King, Lander and Limestone.

The 2021 season will be the inaugural campaign for Lander.

“We’re excited to have our acrobatics and tumbling program joining Conference Carolinas,” Lander Director of Athletics Brian Reese said. “This partnership puts us in a great geographic footprint and we look forward to competing in a great league.”

The 2021 season will be the third season for Limestone, who was ranked 10^th in the nation in the shortened 2020 season.

“We are very excited that the Limestone acrobatics and tumbling team will have a home in Conference Carolinas,” Limestone Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Michael H. Cerino said. “This is an excellent opportunity for our student-athletes to be able to compete for a championship and to earn distinction among their peers through the various awards the league will sponsor. This partnership will provide a tremendous student-athlete experience for each of those competing in an emerging sport that is growing rapidly throughout the nation.”

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