Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken lost to Belmont Abbey College, 66-57, tonight in the final game of the 2002 Phillips 66 Christmas Classic at "The Courthouse" in Aiken, S.C.  The Pacers (2-7) were led by Bryant Latimer's 12 points.  Rafael Moreia led the Crusaders (6-1) with 20 points.  In the first game of the night, Augusta State defeated Catawba College, 97-60. 
 
Latimer's three-point basket with 16:20 left in the game gave the Pacers their largest lead of the second half.  Moreia scored six consecutive points that keyed a 9-2 Crusader run and gave Belmont Abbey their first lead, 41-40 with 11:12 remaining, since the 6:55 mark of the first half. 
  
Todd Williams' jumper with 7:36 left in the game gave USC Aiken their final lead, 46-44.  Williams posted his second strong performance of the Christmas Classic.  The junior finished the night with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 shooting from the free throw line.  He also grabbed seven rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end.
Two Belmont Abbey free throws tied the game at 46-46 and began a 12-2 run that put the Crusaders ahead by eight with 3:41 to go.  Eight of the 12 points came off free throws, including two off of a technical foul charged to Pacer Head CoachMike Roberts.  USCA would cut the Crusader lead to six points on two occasions but they would get no closer. 
  
The Pacers hit just nine of their 25 shots in the second half (36 percent) after making 48.3 percent (14-of-29) of their attempts in the first half.  For the game, USC Aiken out rebounded the Crusaders 38-30 and held a 14-20 advantage in turnovers.  The difference came at the free throw line where Belmont Abbey hit 25-of-35 free throws (71.4 percent) compared to 8-of-10 for USCA. 
  
Taurus Watson got the Pacers on the board and tied the game 2-2 with 19:12 left in the first half.  A three-pointer by Letrasky Pressley gave the Crusaders their largest lead of the first half, six points, with 13:57 remaining.  Pressley finished the night with 15 points and two assists. 
  
Latimer answered at the other end with a three of his own to bring the Pacers to within three, 10-7.  The junior finished with five rebounds and one assists to go along with his team-high 12 points.  Minda Statkus tied the game for the second time, 19-19, with 6:54 left in the first half and 53 seconds later Mitch Lewis gave USC Aiken their first lead of the night, 21-19. 
  
A Williams jumper gave USCA their largest lead of the half, four points, with 4:49 left before intermission.  The Pacers would hold a four-point lead on two more occasions.  Moreia got Belmont Abbey to within one, 29-28, with 1:16 left.  Leroy Williams scored the final points of the half and gave USC Aiken a three-point lead, 31-28, heading into the locker room. Leroy Williams' eight points led the Pacers at the break. 
  
The Pacers will be off until Jan. 4, 2003, when they travel to Jefferson City, Tenn., to play eleventh ranked Carson-Newman College.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m.

In the third game of the 2002 Phillips 66 Christmas Classic, Augusta State (4-4) beat Catawba College (3-7), 97-60.  Thirteen players scored for the Jaguars, led by Ben Butler's 15 points.  Helgi Magnusson had a game-high 21 points and eight rebounds for Catawba.  ASU shot 54.2 percent from the field compared to 39.0 percent for the Indians.  The Jaguars forced 31 Catawba turnovers while committing just 13 of their own.

SCORING: 
Belmont Abbey College (66):  Damien Humphrey 7, Letrasky Pressley 15, Shaun Taylor 7, Robbie McKinlay 7, Jon Adams 2, Steve Segears 4, Rafael Moreia 20, John Gordon 4
USC Aiken (57):  Taurus Watson 4, Lee Burton 8, Bryant Latimer 12, Eric Dugans 6, Leroy Williams 8, Todd Williams 9, Mitch Lewis 4, Minda Statkus 6