Box Score ORANGEBURG, SC--Coming off an emotional win at Kennesaw State on Saturday, USC Aiken head coach Mike Brandt was concerned about a let down as his 24th ranked Lady Pacers (8-3) traveled to Orangeburg, SC to face the Claflin University Pantherettes (7-9).  What he saw was the Lady Pacers commit a season-high 33 and go 0-of-11 from the three point line in the second half and overtime period to fall 74-67 in OT.  

The loss was the 20th straight to the Pantherettes after the two teams awakened the 24-year-old rivalry following a nine-year hiatus.  

Julie Szabo scored 14 of her team-high 18 points in the first half as the Lady Pacers held a slim 33-31 advantage at the break.  Seven ties and 14 lead changes characterized the first 20 minutes of play.  Szabo's fourth three-pointer of the first half at 6:15 gave USCA its largest lead at 28-23.  But Claflin's Tamara Middleton scored five straight points to knot the game up at 28-28.  She finished with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting.  

On three separate occasions in the opening seven minutes of the second half, the Lady Pacers opened up a six-point lead, the last coming at 13:29 on a lay-up by Katie Mitchell making it 43-37.  Mitchell scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half on 7-of-11 shooting to go with five rebounds.  

A 7-1 run by the Pantherettes tied the game at 44-44 with 10:41 to play.  A violent collision at half court with 10:26 on the clock occurred when Claflin's Stinson undercut Jami Cornwell and was called for the foul.  Stinson felt numbness in her extremities and play was suspended for over 25 minutes as an ambulance came to take her to the hospital for precautionary reasons.  

When play resumed, neither team led by more than three points.  Mitchell converted an old fashioned three-point play at 1:54 to give the Lady Pacers back the lead 62-60.  Kristy Scott hit one of two free throws with 27 ticks left to set the score at 63-63 at the end of regulation.  Scott tied teammate Candice Witherspoon for game-high honors with 20 points.  

USCA opened the overtime with a quick bucket inside by Mitchell.  Neither team would score again over the next 2:27.  During that time, however, despite four missed shots by Claflin and four defensive rebounds by USCA, the Pantherettes got the ball back.  First-Team All-Conference guards Cornwell and Szabo were called for palming the basketball three times over that span.  For the game, the Lady
Pacers were whistled six times for the same call.  

Witherspoon's jumper at 2:16 ended the Pantherettes scoring drought and evened the score at 65-65.  Tied 67-67 with 1:21 to play, USCA would not score again as Claflin pulled out the 74-67 stunner.  
USCA shot 40.4 percent from the field (23-of-57) and 73.7 percent at the stripe (14-of-19).  Claflin was 23-of-50 from the field (46.0 percent) and 24-of-31 at the charity line (77.4 percent).  The two teams combined for 59 turnovers.  

Sarah Kendrick was also in double figures for the Lady Pacers adding 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.  

???????The Lady Pacers will return to action tomorrow, Wednesday at Queens University of Charlotte at 6:00 PM.  

SCORING:
#24 USC Aiken (67): Julie Szabo 18, Katie Mitchell 18, Sarah Kendrick 13, Allison Nold 8, Jen Kennedy 4, Jami Cornwell 3, Katie Rokus 3

Claflin (74): Kristy Scott 20, Candice Witherspoon 20, Tamara Middleton 18, Jessica Richardson 7, April Newton 6, Judene Wright 2, Jamal Morant 1