Box Score MORROW, GA--With neither USC Aiken or Clayton State able to hit a field goal in the overtime period, the Lady Lakers (8-2, 3-1 PBC) outscored the Lady Pacers (11-4, 2-2 PBC) at the charity stripe 6-5 to claim the 62-61 upset win.  USCA is now 0-10 in overtime games dating back to February 11, 1995.  

Following Sarah Kendrick's only three-pointer of the game, USCA appeared in control with a 56-50 lead with 1:16 to play in regulation.  However, back-to-back steals by Clayton State led to a 56-56 tie with 14.5 seconds to play.  Jami Cornwell attempted a 12-footer with four ticks left, but it was off the back iron and after a scramble for the rebound, time expired.  

Cornwell led the Lady Pacers with her best game of the season.  She was 7-of-18 from the field and 11-of-13 from the stripe to finish with 25 points, seven rebounds, and tied a career-high with seven steals.  

In overtime, Cornwell put the Lady Pacers up 58-56 on a pair of free throws at 4:04, but the Lady Lakers would rally and eventually take the lead 60-59 onNicia Puckett's free throw with 2:17 to play.  Down 62-61 with 48 seconds remaining, the Lady Pacers had three opportunities to win it.  Two turnovers and then Kendrick's missed three-pointer at the buzzer resulted in the loss.  

After leading twice in the first half for a combined time total of just 21 seconds, the Lady Pacers went to the locker room up 27-26.  The opening minutes of the second half remained equally close. 
However, trailing 31-30 with 15:48 to play, USCA registered the first true run of the game.  Julie Szabo drilled a three-pointer, Cornwell sank two free throws, and Erica Larsen capped the 8-0 run with a triple from the top of the key to push ahead 38-31.  

Larsen, following a career-game with 16 points and nine rebounds against Claflin on Tuesday, topped that with 19 points on 6-of-8 from the field, 3-of-5 from downtown, and 4-of-5 at the line.  Szabo added nine points and four assists while Kendrick had five and Jen Kennedy was the only other Lady Pacer to score with three points.  

A three-point play by Larsen at 7:21 to play in the second half gave the Lady Pacers its largest lead of the game at 50-41, but Clayton State stormed back.  The conference's leading defense held USCA to two field goals over the final seven minutes to force the overtime and eventually win.  

The Lady Lakers' Catreia Shaw had a career-game with 28 points and 23 rebounds.  She was 12-of-17 from the field and 4-of-9 at the line.  Shaw's success was helped by the loss of the Lady Pacers inside presence in Katie Mitchell.  The 6-0 junior from Gilbert, AZ went down hard in the first half after battling for a rebound and did not return. 

???????Apryl Brown, April Taylor, and Allyson Rutledge each added nine points for the Lady Lakers who shot 52.0 percent in the second half and finished 43.9 percent for the game.  

The Lady Pacers were dominated on the glass 51-31 and shot just 30.2 percent from the field for the game.  The stat battle USCA did win was the turnover one 27-15.      

USC Aiken returns to "The Courthouse" for its next two games.  The Lady Pacers will host Francis Marion on Monday, January 13 and then the Peach Belt Conference's earlier season leader in Armstrong
???????Atlantic State on Wednesday, January 15.  Game times for both games is 5:30 PM.  USCA has an 18-game home court winning streak.  

SCORING:
USC Aiken (61): Jami Cornwell 25, Erica Larsen 19, Julie Szabo 9, Sarah Kendrick 3, Jen Kennedy 3 

Clayton State (62): Catreia Shaw 28, Apryl Brown 9, April Taylor 9, Nicia Puckett 9, Carlie Anderson 4, Allyson Rutledge 2, Kate Kauffman 1