Box Score KENNESAW, GA--Julie Szabo's lay-up with 4.8 seconds remaining gave USC Aiken (8-2, 2-1 PBC) a 59-57 win at Kennesaw State (4-3, 1-2 PBC) on Saturday afternoon in a huge early season Peach Belt Conference women's basketball match-up.  The 24th ranked Lady Pacers beat the Lady Owls on their home floor, the Spec Landrum Centre, for the first time in school history.  

After racing to a 9-2 lead on Jami Cornwell's three-pointer at 17:48 of the first half, the Lady Pacers witnessed KSU collect themselves and turn the remainder of the game into a dogfight.  Jasmine
Benson hit a triple at 13:25 to cut the lead to 13-12.  The Lady Owls eventually tied the game at 26-26 with 6:07 left in the half on a three-pointer by Malgorzata Morka.  The lead seesawed back and forth until Morka hit a lay-up to give Kennesaw State the lead at 31-30.  With 3:48 until halftime, KSU would keep that lead well into the second half.  

???????Morka led KSU with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting.  Benson finished with three points and three rebounds in six minutes.  

???????Cornwell had a superb all-around night.  The 5-7 senior guard scored eight points, dished out six assists, swiped six of the Lady Pacers' 13 steals, and pulled down five rebounds before fouling out with 2:11 to play.  Szabo teamed up with Allison Nold to provide the offensive punch.  Szabo was 4-of-7 from the field, 1-of-3 from deep, and 6-of-9 at the stripe for a game-high 15 points.  Nold, ranked sixth in the PBC in field goal percentage at 56.7, continued her strong play with 10 of her 12 points coming in the opening half.  She added five rebounds and one assist in 25 minutes.  

Leading 38-35 at the break, KSU extended their lead to five on a pair of free throws by Kristina Usaite.  USCA fought back to tie the game at 45-45 on a lay-up from Erica Larsen with 13:42 on the clock. 
Following another tie at 47-47, LaTonya Henry hit a six-footer from the left baseline to push the Lady Owls back in front by two.  

The Lady Pacers tough defense, however, held KSU scoreless over the next 5:11.  Szabo drained a triple from the right wing with 6:58 to play to give USCA its first lead of the second half at 52-49.  Erica
Larsen canned a big three-pointer with 4:34 to play to give the Lady Pacers a 55-51 advantage, but a made basket followed by a technical foul on Jen Kennedy resulted in a four-point play for Kennesaw State and knotted the game at 55-55.  

Trailing 57-56, Szabo drove to the hoop and drew the foul with 1:11 remaining.  She converted one of two free throws and, after a defensive stand by the Lady Pacers, hit the game winning shot.  

With Kennedy saddled with foul trouble, Larsen and Katie Mitchell came up big off the Lady Pacer bench.  Larsen was 3-of-5 from the field for seven points while Mitchell added seven points and a team high eight rebounds.  

Ferguson added 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 1:11 to play for the Lady Owls.  

The Lady Pacers picked up their third straight win and move to the top of the PBC North Division standings.  

USC Aiken travels to Orangeburg, SC, on Tuesday, December 17 for a 6:00 PM game with Claflin College.  

SCORING:
#24 USC Aiken (59): Julie Szabo 15, Allison Nold 12, Jami Cornwell 8, Erica Larsen 7, Katie Mitchell 7, Jen Kennedy 5, Sarah Kendrick 3, Katie Gebhardt 2

Kennesaw State (57): Denisha Ferguson 13, Malgorzata Morka 13, Mareme Konate 9, Tori Carrington 6, LaTonya Henry 6, Kristina Usaite 4, Jasmine Benson 3, Lauren Gaines 2, Paulina Aniola 1