Box Score AIKEN, SC--Another strong defensive effort lifted USC Aiken (14-10, 6-7 PBC) to a 57-45 victory over USC Spartanburg (9-14, 4-9 PBC) in women's Peach Belt Conference basketball on Wednesday night at "The Courthouse". The Lady Pacers defeated their instate rivals for the 10th consecutive time to improve to 31-22 all-time against the Lady Rifles. 

After Vania Redd made one of two free throws just 29 seconds into the game, USC Aiken held USCS without a point for the next 9:21. Kia Manuel's offensive putback of a Stephanie Feyes' errant three-pointer stopped a 13-0 Lady Pacer run and gave the Lady Rifles its first field goal of the contest at 10:20. USCS missed its first 10 shots from the field.

USCA continued to build a sizable first half advantage as Erica Larsen drained a 15-footer from the left baseline to give the Lady Pacers their largest lead of the first half at 10-5 with 8:35 on the clock. Larsen finished with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 23 minutes to lead all scorers.

A 5-0 USCS run including a Feyes' triple cut the margin to 19-12 with 6:38 remaining. Sarah Kendrick bumped it back up to 23-14 on a transition lay-up before Chanel Fletcher's jumper reduced the advantage to five, 23-18, with 1:04 left, and went into the break trailing 27-20. Feyes led the Lady Rifles with 12 points while Fletcher added eight points on 4-of-7 shooting off the bench. 

After opening 0-of-10 from the field, the Lady Rifles finished the final 10 minutes of the first stanza 8-of-16. 

USC Spartanburg began the second half by connecting on four of its first eight field goal attempts to draw within two, 29-27, with 16:20 remaining. Lana Mandic's bucket in the paint gave USCA some breathing room, however, with 12:24 to play, capping an 8-1 run and making it 37-28. 

Leading 37-30, the Lady Pacers went on a decisive 11-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 48-32 lead at 7:26 on Mandic's fast break lay-up. Eight of the points during the run game in the paint while freshman Gezel Virella provided the outside punch with a big three-pointer. Virella scored nine of her career-high 11 points in the second half on 2-of-4 from deep in playing a team and career-high 29 minutes. Mandic added six points and a game-high seven boards. 

Virella's final triple of the night came at 4:23 to give USCA its largest lead of the game 53-36. 

USC Aiken held its second consecutive home opponent to 45 points, beating Augusta State 73-45 exactly one week ago. 

Kendrick was the third Lady Pacer in double figures with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. As a team, USCA connected on 13-of-25 shots in the second half for 52.0 percent, and after committing 13 first half turnovers, USCA made just four second half miscues. 

The Lady Pacers won for the third time in their last four games and improve to 33-6 versus North Division opponents since 1999-2000. With Francis Marion's 72-71 loss to Lander, USCA moves into a tie for third place in the North with the Patriots. 

USC Aiken hosts 20th ranked North Florida on Saturday, February 21 at 5:30 PM at "The Courthouse". USC Spartanburg returns home to play 24th ranked Armstrong Atlantic State on Saturday at 2:00 PM. 

SCORING:
USC Spartanburg (45): Stephanie Feyes 12, Kia Manual 9, Chanel Fletcher 8, Vania Redd 7, Yakeeshia Ross 5, Evan Miller 2, Margeaux DuMars 2

USC Aiken (57): Erica Larsen 13, Sarah Kendrick 11, Gezel Virella 11, Lana Mandic 6, Benazura Serbecic 6, Kasey Mills 2, Beata Szabo 2, Katie Gebhardt 2, Haylee Reichert 2, Katie Mitchell 2