Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken lost 85-70 to the University of North Florida tonight in a match-up of Peach Belt Conference men's basketball teams at "The Courthouse" in Aiken, S.C. After falling behind by 17 points early in the second half, USCA (9-16, 3-11 PBC) used a 12-0 run to draw within five but couldn't get any closer as the Ospreys (13-12, 5-9 PBC) pulled away for the 15-point win.
UNF's Donny Lotz scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half and James Grimball scored 19 of his game-high 26 points in the second half. The Osprey's shot 56.3 percent (18-of-32) in the second 20 minutes of play and 52.3 percent (34-of-65) for the game.
Grimball scored all of his points in just 21 minutes of action. He hit on all 11 of his shot attempts and made four-of-five from the charity stripe.
David Ashwell's jumper and free throw with 19:45 left in the game gave North Florida a 17-point advantage, 45-28. The Pacers rallied with a 12-0 run to draw within five, 45-40, at the 15:44 mark.
The Ospreys answered with seven unanswered to pull back out in front by 12 points, 52-40, with 13:42 remaining. Grimball scored four of the seven points during the run.
The Pacers closed within nine on a
Minda Statkus free throw but would get no closer. Pershin Williams' lay-up with 4:12 on the clock gave UNF its largest lead, 19 points, 81-62.
Lee Burton and
Todd Williams each scored 17 points to lead USC Aiken. Williams' added a team-best eight rebounds and four blocked shots.
North Florida jumped out to an 8-2 lead to start the game. Lotz scored five of the first eight points for the Ospreys. Back-to-back three-pointers by Burton and
Curt Triplin tied the game for the Pacers with 15:28 to go in the first half. A lay-up by
Leroy Williams gave USCA its first lead of the game, 12-10, with 14:07 remaining before intermission.
A jumper by Lotz put UNF in front by five, 22-17.
Martynas Valaitis cut the deficit to two with a trey at the 6:52 mark. After Burton brought the Pacers to within one, 29-28, on two free throws with 3:28 on the clock, North Florida ran off the final 13 points of the half. Another three-pointer by Lotz with one second to go sent the Ospreys to the locker room ahead by 14 points, 42-28.
USC Aiken connected on just 10-of-26 shots (38.5 percent) in the first twenty minutes of play. UNF made 48.5 percent (16-of-33) of its shots.
The Pacers will return to action on Wednesday when the travel to Augusta, Ga., to face Augusta State University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
SCORING:
North Florida (85): Derrick Scott 3, Donny Lotz 22, David Ashwell 9, Anthony Earl 4, Pershin Williams 10, Justin Bridges 2, Daniel Crews 0, Josh Bowling 9, James Grimball 26, Ted Garland 0
USC Aiken (70):
Todd Williams 17,
Minda Statkus 10,
Curt Triplin 10,
Bryant Latimer 5,
Lee Burton 17,
Leroy Williams 2,
Jamall Gray 0,
Trent Boyd 4,
Cameron Conover 0,
Martynas Valaitis 5,
Mira Jonuska 0
