Box Score AIKEN, SC--Revenge is a dish best served cold, and that's just what USC Aiken (6-2) did in a 62-29 non-conference win over North Carolina Central (0-5) on Monday night at "The Courthouse" in Aiken, SC. The 17th ranked Lady Pacers held NCCU to a frigid 16.1 percent shooting from the field for the game (9-of-56) in extending their home court winning streak to 16 games.
In the semifinals of last year's NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Tournament in Mars Hill, NC, the third-seeded Lady Eagles shot a scorching 60.9 percent for the game to upset the second-seeded Lady Pacers 79-61 and end USCA's season. Tonight, the Lady Pacers set a Peach Belt Conference record by holding the Lady Eagles to just six first-half points. That breaks the old mark set by Clayton State when they held Emmanuel College to eight in the first-half on February 3, 1997.
USC Aiken began the game on a 10-0 run. Jen Kennedy opened the scoring at 18:58 with a transition lay-up off a nice feed from
Julie Szabo. Kennedyfinished with 10 points and tied a career-high with nine rebounds.
Jami Cornwell scored a lay-up and then hit a pair of free throws to push the lead to 6-0 at 15:24.
Katie Mitchell scored on a four-footer in the paint and
Erica Larsen's putback at 12:37 capped the 10-0 run.
NCCU first got on the board at 12:14 when Adija Beatty converted the second of two free throws, but the Lady Eagles shooting woes continued. Missing their first 23 shot from the field, Tiona Beatty's three-pointer at 2:14 finally snapped the streak. It would be the only made field goal of the half for NCCU as they finished 1-of-28 for 3.6 percent.
The second half proved much of the same, however the Lady Eagles warmed up to 28.6 percent on 8-of-28 in the final 20 minutes. Nicole Davis hit a lay-up just 10 seconds into the half to cut the lead to 29-8, but a quick 9-0 Lady Pacer run pushed the advantage out to 30 at 38-8. Larsen's jumper at 15:43 made it 40-10. This is where USCA hit their longest scoring drought going 5:41 without a point until
Allison Nold's jumper at 10:02 made it 42-17. Nold tied Kennedy for game-high scoring honors with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Down the stretch, freshman
Sarah Liebelt gave USCA its largest lead of the game with 1:41 to play on a jumper from the left elbow to make it 59-24.
Eleven of 12 players scored for the Lady Pacers in a game that
Mike Brandt evenly divided his minutes.
Sarah Kendrick's 23 minutes was the most played by anyone while every player saw at least 10 minutes of action. Seven players handed out at least two assists.
???????USCA nearly set a school record for fewest points allowed, just missing the mark of 28 set versus Allen on November 20, 1999. They also out rebounded NCCU 57-30, just eight boards away from the school record of 65 set against Morris College on November 18, 1996.
USC Aiken will play its third game in six days on Wednesday, December 4 when the Lady Pacers host UNC Pembroke in their Peach Belt Conference opener at 5:30 PM.
SCORING:
North Carolina Central (29): Nicole Davis 7, Tiona Beatty 7, Tiffany Foster 6, Adija Beatty 4, Leighla Holder 3, Natasha Bailey 2
#17 USC Aiken (62): Jen Kennedy 10,
Allison Nold 10,
Jami Cornwell 8,
Katie Gebhardt 6,
Katie Mitchell 6,
Sarah Kendrick 5,
Erica Larsen 4,
Sarah Liebelt 4,
Mindy Allee 4,
Katie Rokus 3,
Julie Szabo
