Box Score FLORENCE, SC--Francis Marion (10-8, 4-5 PBC) overcame a five-point halftime deficit to knock off the USC Aiken Lady Pacers (11-8, 3-5 PBC) 63-62 at the 8,000-seat Florence Civic Center on Wednesday night in women's Peach Belt Conference basketball. The Patriots picked up their first season sweep of USCA since the 1999-2000 season and handed the Lady Pacers their fifth loss in the last seven games. 

Trailing 51-44 with 11:41 to play, USCA used a 12-2 run to charge ahead 56-53 with 5:40 remaining on a Kasey Mills put back. Mills led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Beata Szabo and Sarah Kendrick had back-to-back steals as the Lady Pacers converted them quickly into transition buckets during the run. 

But seven straight points by Francis Marion capped by a Jennifer Howard three-pointer with 3:11 to play gave the Patriots back the lead 60-56. Katie Mitchell hit a 12-footer from the left baseline and, following a Patriot turnover, Mills got a fast break lay-up with 2:15 on the clock to knot the game up at 60-60. Howard, who finished with eight points, nailed another trey from the same spot on the left wing to give FMU a 63-60 edge with 1:51 remaining. 

Mills hit a bucket on the ensuing possession to slice the margin to 63-62 with 1:23 to play. USCA forced two Patriot turnovers and held possession of the basketball the final 13.2 seconds, but were unable to get a shot off before time expired. 

The Lady Pacers opened the game with a quick 13-5 start on a Mitchell lay-up with 14:41 remaining. Mitchell's six points represented the only bench points of the night for USCA. Francis Marion got 26 from its bench led by Velvet Dotson's 13. 

A 19-4 run capped by a Dotson bucket pushed the Patriots in front 22-17 with 7:57 on the clock. But in a first half of runs, the Lady Pacers had the final one of the half, a 12-2 spurt, to claim a 29-24 lead with 4:27 left and held that five-point edge at the break. 

Erica Larsen was 6-of-14 for 14 points to go with six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Benazura Serbecic scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half to go with nine rebounds, just missing her third double double in the last four games. Kendrick added nine points while freshman Gezel Virella finished 1-of-2 from the field for two points in her first collegiate start. 

After shooting a blistering 58.3 percent in the first half, USCA opened the final stanza about as frigid as the ice that lay just six inches below the basketball floor at the Civic Center. The Lady Pacers connected on just two of their opening 12 shots from the field as FMU outscored them 18-6 capped by Dotson's bucket at 11:16 to give the Patriots their largest lead of the game 51-44. 

USC Aiken finished 24-of-52 from the field for 46.2 percent including 4-of-13 from the three-point line (30.8 percent) and 10-of-16 at the stripe (62.5 percent). Francis Marion was 23-of-52 from the field (44.2 percent), 4-of-13 from deep (30.8 percent), and 13-of-17 at the line (76.5 percent). 

After holding a 17-12 advantage on the boards at the half, USCA was out rebounded 21-12 in the final 20 minutes. 

Michelle Ghere tied Dotson for team-high honors with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Joanna Tincher added nine points while Marta Losonczy chipped in eight points, seven rebounds, and four assists off the bench. 

USC Aiken will travel to Savannah, Ga. on Saturday, February 7 to face 20th ranked and current Peach Belt Conference leader Armstrong Atlantic State at 4:00 PM. 

SCORING:
USC Aiken (62): Kasey Mills 17, Erica Larsen 14, Benazura Serbecic 14, Sarah Kendrick 9, Katie Mitchell 6, Gezel Virella 2

Francis Marion (63): Michelle Ghere 13, Velvet Dotson 13, Joanna Tincher 9, Jennifer Howard 8, Marta Losonczy 8, Danielle Moore 7, Vaughn Bowen 3, Tasha Laster 2.
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