BRANDT EARNS 100th WIN AT USCA NOTCHES FIFTH-STRAIGHT
LADY PACERS MOVE WITHIN ONE GAME OF FIRST BY DOWNING UNC PEMBROKE
AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken (17-6, 10-6 PBC) used a pair of sizable first half runs to create a double-digit cushion as the Lady Pacers cruised to their fifth-straight win, downing UNC Pembroke (8-16, 3-14 PBC) 77-67 in women’s Peach Belt Conference basketball action on Monday night at the Convocation Center. In the process, head coach Mike Brandt picked up his 100th victory at the helm of the Lady Pacer program. (PHOTO BY: Scott Webster)
Coupled with Lander’s upset at #25 Francis Marion, USC Aiken moves within one-game of first-place in the PBC standings. Columbus State, Augusta State, and Francis Marion are in a three-way tie atop the league at 11-5 while USC Aiken, Lander, and Clayton State lurk one game behind at 10-6.
The Lady Pacers started the game on fire from three-point range, draining their first four attempts to bolt to a 16-2 lead on Jordon Thomas’ lay-up with 15:50 on the clock. After gathering themselves, UNC Pembroke fought back to take their first, and only, lead of the game 19-18 less than six minutes later. Ivy Ramsey’s long ball capped a 17-2 Lady Brave run that included a 4-of-4 showing from deep by UNCP.
What ensued was the Lady Pacers’ seesaw run, pouring in 12-straight to once again take command 30-19 on a Cameron Crapps trey with 5:14 left in the half. Crapps came off the bench to spark USC Aiken with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting.
For the game, USC Aiken connected on 12-of-26 threes for 46.2 percent. UNC Pembroke was equally as accurate, canning 10-of-17 for 58.8 percent, but USC Aiken won the turnover battle 18-8 resulting in a 21-5 edge in points off those miscues.
The eight turnovers tied a season-low set back on December 3 in a 70-58 win over Division I foe Winston-Salem State.
After leading by eight at the break, the Lady Pacers used a 10-0 run to blow open a nine point contest midway through the second half to lead 59-40 with 10:49 to play.
JaToya Kemp’s offensive putback of her own miss ended a 6:17 scoring drought for the Lady Braves, but UNC Pembroke was never able to get a run together until the final four minutes, with a cosmetic touch-up to the 77-67 decision.
With the season sweep of the Lady Braves, USC Aiken avenges last year’s upset home loss to UNCP, and with their fifth-straight home victory, the hottest team in the PBC has won seven of their last eight.
Meredith Legg connected on 4-of-7 three-pointers to finish with a team-best 15, eight points shy of reaching the 1,000 career points plateau. Megan Starnes added 12 points, four assists, and four steals while extending her consecutive made free throws streak to 17. Avonte Williams added 11 points and four boards while Morgan Johnson chipped in 11 points, six assists, three steals, and no turnovers.
Kristen Hobbs came off the Lady Brave bench for 17 points and five assists on 5-of-8 from downtown. Newly crowned PBC Player of the Week Natalie Ray managed 10 points, eight coming in the opening stanza, and six rebounds.
The Lady Pacers have now won 13 of their last 16 PBC home contests dating back to the beginning of last season.
USC Aiken will play their third game in five days when they travel to Greenwood, S.C. for a huge PBC showdown with Lander on Wednesday, February 20 at 5:30 PM. UNC Pembroke is off until Saturday, February 23 when the Lady Braves play at Georgia Southwestern at 2:00 PM.
Newspaper Box Score
UNC Pembroke vs USC Aiken
02/18/08 5:30 PM at Aiken, S.C. (Convocation Center)
USC AIKEN 77, UNC PEMBROKE 67
UNC PEMBROKE (8-16, 3-14 PBC)
Hobbs,Kristen 6-9 0-0 17; Ray,Natalie 4-10 2-6 10; Kemp,JaToya 3-7 3-3 9; Johnson,Lavantay 2-3 2-2 6; Davis,DeNeer 3-4 0-0 6; Morales,Ashley 2-5 0-0 6; Faison,Talena 1-2 0-0 3; Hunt,Illya 1-3 0-0 3; Ramsey,Ivy 1-1 0-0 3; Jackson,Chevoya 1-4 0-0 2; Willis,Victoria 1-2 0-0 2; Ward,Jamaisha 0-0 0-0 0; Locklear,Porcha 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-51 7-11 67.
USC AIKEN (17-6, 10-6 PBC)
Legg, Meredith 4-8 3-4 15; Starnes, Megan 4-7 2-2 12; Williams, Avonte 4-8 1-2 11; Johnson, Morgan 5-8 1-1 11; Pinkney, Nakia 3-5 0-0 8; Crapps, Cameron 3-5 0-1 7; Thomas, Jordon 3-6 0-0 7; Harris, Triahna 0-2 2-2 2; Norman, Marissa 1-1 0-0 2; Broadwater, LaToshia 1-4 0-0 2; Meyer, Sarah 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-55 9-12 77.
UNC Pembroke............. 30 37 - 67
USC Aiken..................... 38 39 - 77
3-point goals--UNC Pembroke 10-17 (Hobbs,Kristen 5-8; Morales,Ashley 2-4; Ramsey,Ivy 1-1; Hunt,Illya 1-1; Faison,Talena 1-1; Willis,Victoria 0-1; Davis,DeNeer 0-1), USC Aiken 12-26 (Legg, Meredith 4-7; Starnes, Megan 2-5; Pinkney, Nakia 2-3; Williams, Avonte 2-4; Crapps, Cameron 1-2; Thomas, Jordon 1-3; Broadwater, LaToshia 0-1; Harris, Triahna 0-1). Fouled out--UNC Pembroke-None, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds--UNC Pembroke 35 (Ray,Natalie 6), USC Aiken 22 (Legg, Meredith 4; Williams, Avonte 4). Assists--UNC Pembroke 17 (Hobbs,Kristen 5), USC Aiken 22 (Johnson, Morgan 6). Total fouls--UNC Pembroke 13, USC Aiken 12. Technical fouls--UNC Pembroke-TEAM, USC Aiken-None. A-905
BOXSCORE