RECORD CROWD WATCHES LADY PACERS MARCH PAST SAINTS
OVER 2,200 FANS WITNESS USC AIKEN'S 76-59 HOMECOMING WIN
AIKEN, S.C.--Avonte Williams scored seven of her game-high 22 in a decisive 14-0 run late in the second half as USC Aiken (14-6, 8-6 PBC) pulled away from a 53-53 game to win 76-59 over North Georgia (14-7, 7-7 PBC) in women’s Peach Belt Conference basketball on Saturday night at the Convocation Center. More than 2,200 fans, a single game school record, were on hand for Homecoming 2008. (PHOTO BY: Avonte Williams)
The win avenges a 93-83 loss in Dahlonega on January 5 and marks the Lady Pacers fourth win in the last five games. North Georgia falls to 1-6 on the road in PBC games while USC Aiken moves to 7-1 on homecoming since 2000. Including tonight’s 17-point win, all eight decisions have been by double figures.
North Georgia grabbed the early lead and built a 14-10 spread with 14:00 on the clock after a Kourtney Singleton lay-up. Singleton scored a career-high 34 in the first meeting between the two teams, but was held to 14 on Saturday night.
Jordon Thomas connected on a pair of free throws to ignite a 10-2 run as the Lady Pacers took their first lead 20-16 after six-straight points from Williams with 8:51 left in the half. Williams finished 10-of-11 from the field, breaking the school record for single game accuracy.
After Singleton knotted the game back up on two charity tosses, the final 5:25 saw five ties and seven lead changes with no one leading by more than a bucket. Victoria Peevy converted 3-of-4 free throws in the closing 38 seconds to give North Georgia the edge at the break 33-31.
North Georgia used a 6-0 spurt early in the final stanza to pull in front by their largest margin 46-41 on a Megan Huffman three-pointer with 14:24 to play. It would mark Huffman’s only points of the second half as she finished with 13.
Tied for the 12th time in the game at 53-53 with 8:58 left, Williams knocked down a three-pointer from the wing, igniting the 14-0 run that put USC Aiken in front to stay 67-53 with 3:43 on the clock. Williams had seven during the crucial run while the Lady Saints missed seven-straight shots from the field.
The league’s best free throw shooting team closed out the game at the line, finishing 25-of-33 for 75.8 percent. USC Aiken also shot 75.0 percent in the second half, 15-of-20, and finished 53.3 percent for the game. North Georgia struggled to 19-of-53 for 35.8 percent.
Thomas poured in 10 of her 12 in the second half to go with six assists and two blocks. Megan Starnes added her sixth-straight double-figure night with 10 while Meredith Legg was right at her average, chipping in 15.
USC Aiken improves to 11-0 when leading with 5:00 to play and is 31-1 over the past two seasons.
USC Aiken will step out of conference for a home test with Presbyterian College on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00 PM. The Lady Pacers will be participating in the WBCA’s “Think Pink” that night. North Georgia returns home to host Columbus State, also on Wednesday, at 5:30 PM.
Newspaper Box Score
North Georgia vs USC Aiken
02/09/08 5:30 PM at Aiken, S.C. (Convocation Center)
USC AIKEN 76, NORTH GEORGIA 59
NORTH GEORGIA (14-7, 7-7 PBC)
Marble, Syretha 5-13 3-8 14; Singleton, Kourtney 5-12 4-5 14; Huffman, Megan 4-10 2-3 13; Jolley, Rachael 2-3 0-0 5; Peevy, Victoria 0-1 5-6 5; Young, Krystyn 1-7 1-2 4; Kitchens, Lindsey 1-4 0-0 2; Swanier, Kiara 1-2 0-1 2; Montgomery, Meredith 0-1 0-0 0; Burkhalter, Emily 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-53 15-25 59.
USC AIKEN (14-6, 8-6 PBC)
Williams, Avonte 10-11 1-1 22; Legg, Meredith 4-9 6-6 15; Thomas, Jordon 2-8 7-10 12; Starnes, Megan 3-8 4-4 10; Johnson, Morgan 2-2 4-7 8; Pinkney, Nakia 1-4 2-2 4; Harris, Triahna 2-3 0-1 4; Meyer, Sarah 0-0 1-2 1; Norman, Marissa 0-0 0-0 0; Broadwater, LaToshia 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-45 25-33 76.
North Georgia............... 33 26 - 59
USC Aiken..................... 31 45 - 76
3-point goals--North Georgia 6-25 (Huffman, Megan 3-7; Jolley, Rachael 1-2; Young, Krystyn 1-7; Marble, Syretha 1-3; Swanier, Kiara 0-1; Kitchens, Lindsey 0-3; Singleton, Kourtney 0-2), USC Aiken 3-13 (Legg, Meredith 1-5; Thomas, Jordon 1-2; Williams, Avonte 1-2; Pinkney, Nakia 0-2; Starnes, Megan 0-2). Fouled out--North Georgia-Singleton, Kourtney, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds--North Georgia 30 (Singleton, Kourtney 5; Kitchens, Lindsey 5), USC Aiken 37 (Williams, Avonte 8). Assists--North Georgia 8 (Kitchens, Lindsey 3), USC Aiken 16 (Thomas, Jordon 6). Total fouls--North Georgia 23, USC Aiken 22. Technical fouls--North Georgia-None, USC Aiken-None. A-2275
BOXSCORE