#5 USCA AWARDED TOP SEED IN SOUTH ATLANTIC REGIONAL
PACERS TO MAKE FIRST TRIP TO NCAA TOURNAMNT SINCE 1998

AIKEN, S.C. -- In a remarkable banner season, a trip to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional had become inevitable for #5 USC Aiken (27-3). The official announcement finally came Sunday night when the brackets were released on the Division II Men’s Selection Show on CSTV.com. (PHOTO BY: Ginny Southworth)

The Pacers were awarded the top seed for the eight-team regional to be hosted by Augusta State for the second-straight season.

The Pacers will be making the program’s second trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament and first since 1998, when USCA fell to #23 Catawba 82-76 in the second round.

As the top seed, head coach Vince Alexander’s team will square off with eighth-seeded Clayton State (17-14) Saturday, March 15, at 6:00 PM at Christenberry Fieldhouse in Augusta, Ga. The Lakers earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament Sunday with a stunning 89-87 triple-overtime victory against the Pacers. USCA won both regular season meetings against Clayton State, and the two teams will be playing for the fourth time this season.

With a victory against Clayton State, USC Aiken will advance to the regional semifinals to face the winner of the game between fourth-seeded Virginia Union (22-7) and fifth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne (22-6), who got at-large bids from the CIAA and the SAC respectively. Virginia Union fell in the regional final a season ago.

Second-seeded Augusta State (22-6) earned the top at-large bid and will play seventh-seeded Johnson C. Smith (21-9), the automatic qualifier from the CIAA conference. The third seed will be Wingate (23-6) out of the South Atlantic Conference. The Bulldogs are the defending regional champions and will play sixth-seeded Catawba (19-11), the
automatic qualifier from the SAC after defeating Mars Hill Sunday.

USC Aiken have posted an impressive turnaround season and claimed the PBC regular season title. Alexander’s squad has broken school records for wins (27), Peach Belt wins (19), home wins (14), consecutive wins (14), and wins to start a season (9).

Junior Chris Commons has been the catalyst for USC Aiken all season. The 2007-08 co-PBC Player of the Year is currently averaing 22.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Commons averaged 22.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in the PBC Tournament in being named to the All-Tournament Team. Junior Jeremy Fears is averaging 17.4 points per game and was named PBC All-Conference.

Log on to www.PacerSports.com to follow USC Aiken’s run in the 2008 NCAA Division II National Tournament.

2008 NCAA Division II Tournament
South Atlantic Regional
Session I: $10 Ticket
Saturday, March 15, Quarterfinals 1
12:00 pm -- Wingate (No.3 seed) vs. Catawba (No.6 Seed)
2:30 pm -- Augusta State (No.2 Seed) vs. Johnson C. Smith (No.7 Seed)

Session II: $10 Ticket
Saturday, March 15, Quarterfinals 2
6:00 pm -- USC Aiken (No.1 Seed) vs. Clayton State (No.8 Seed)
8:30 pm -- Virginia Union (No.4 Seed) vs. Lenoir-Rhyne (No.5 Seed)

Session III: $10 Ticket
Sunday, March 16 Semifinals
5:00 pm -- Wingate - Catawba WINNER vs. Augusta State - Johnson C. Smith WINNER
7:30 pm -- USC Aiken - Clayton State WINNER vs. Virginia Union - Lenoir-Rhyne WINNER

Session IV: $10 Ticket
Tuesday, March 18 Championship
7:00 pm – Championship Game