Box Score FLORENCE, S.C.--USC Aiken's men's basketball team lost to 16th ranked Francis Marion University, 87-49, tonight at the Florence Civic Center in Florence, S.C. The Pacers fall to 8-11 on the season and 2-6 in Peach Belt Conference play. The Patriots improve to 18-2 overall and 8-1 in the PBC. 

FMU connected on 10 of its first 17 shots from the field and jumped out to a 22-6 lead with 12:40 left in the first half. The second of three first half three-pointers from Mike Buglione extended the lead to 20 points, 32-12, with 9:48 to play before intermission. Buglione, who had 22 points off the bench in the first meeting between the two schools on Jan. 21, finished with 12 points tonight on four-of-six shooting from beyond the three-point arch.

Lee Burton's only basket of the night at the 6:46 mark closed the gap to 15 points, 34-19. Minda Statkus' lay-up off a fast break brought USC Aiken to within 11 points, 38-27, with 4:08 to go before the break. The Pacers would get no closer. Statkus led USCA with 14 points.

Buglione and Louis McCullough combined for a nine-point Patriot run. McCullough sandwiched two three-pointers around Buglione's third trey of the half, the second pushed Francis Marion back in front by 20, 49-29 with under two minutes to play before intermission.

McCullough scored 14 of his game-high 21 points in the first half. He finished the game eight-of-13 from the field and added seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and five steals.

After a tip-in by Statkus 30 seconds into the second half cut an 18-point halftime lead to 16, FMU took control again. McCullough's three-pointer extended the lead to 21 with 16:54 to play. The Patriots went ahead by 30 at the 12:40 mark on a lay-up by Michael Jenkins. Courtney Lilliston's lay-up gave Francis Marion its largest lead of the game, 84-44, with 3:36 left in the game.

FMU made 55 percent of its shots and out-rebounded USC Aiken 22-9 in the first half. The Pacers made just 18-of-56 shots (32.1 percent) for the game. In just his third appearance for USCA, Will Spencer came off the bench for a career-high 12 points.

The Pacers continue their two-game Peach Belt road trip on Saturday when they travel to Savannah, Ga., to face Armstrong Atlantic State University. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. 

SCORING:
Francis Marion University (87): Randy Williams 13, Louis McCullough 21, Jaquan Bracey 6, David Hawkins 4, Jarron Hinton 9, George Walker 4, Michael Jenkins 7, Artis Lee 0, Mike Buglione 12, Michael Carter 0, Courtney Lilliston 5, Andrew Snipe 6, Petar Vujovic 0

USC Aiken (49): Todd Williams 4, Minda Statkus 14, Curt Triplin 13, Bryant Latimer 2, Lee Burton 2, Leroy Williams 0, Jamall Gray 2, Trent Boyd 0, Martynas Valaitis 0, Mira Jonuska 0, Cameron Conover 0, Will Spencer 12