Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga.--USC Aiken went cold for six minutes in the second half and Armstrong Atlantic State heated up from three-point range in the final 11 minutes of the game to pull out a 76-65 win in a match-up of Peach Belt Conference men's basketball teams in Savannah, Ga. The Pacers fall to 8-12 on the season and 2-7 in PBC play. AASU, the seventh ranked team in the South Atlantic Region, improves to 15-6 overall and 6-4 in league play. 

After Todd Williams' dunk gave USCA a 43-38 lead with 17:55 left in the game, the Pacers went cold, missing their next six shots and did not scored again for nearly six minutes. Lee Burton's lay-up ended the drought at the 12:05 mark, but USC Aiken trailed, 47-45.

Burton's three-pointer almost a minute later tied the game at 49-49 but the Pirates answered. Tim Brewer knocked down the first of five three-pointers Armstrong would make in the final eleven minutes of the game. After a steal by Brewer, Justin Wood nailed a trey to put AASU ahead by six, 55-49, with 10:34 to go. Another three-pointer by Wood with 9:05 on the clock sent the Pirates up by eight, 58-50.

Two baskets by USC Aiken narrowed the lead to four, but Jason Sanders made another shot from deep to extend the Armstrong advantage to seven and the Pacers didn't get any closer. Sanders finished with a career-high 25 points on eight-of-10 shooting from the field, five-of-six shooting from beyond the three-point arch and four-of-four shooting from the free throw line.

Nick Bloemhof's three-pointer gave the Pirates a 12-point lead, 68-56, with 5:44 remaining in the game. When the final buzzer sounded, Armstrong Atlantic had made five of its final eight attempts from beyond the three-point arch. For the game, AASU made 11-of-20 three-pointers for 55 percent. USCA hit on just three-of-16 shots from deep.

Burton, the reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, led the Pacers with 17 points. Curt Triplin added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. USC Aiken out-rebounded the Pirates, 37-32.
Coach Mike Roberts' team limited AASU's leading scorer, Brian Bain, to just eight points on four-of-11 shooting from the field. 

The Pacers will return home to face rival Augusta State University on Wednesday at "The Courthouse" in Aiken. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

SCORING:
Armstrong Atlantic State (76): Scott Mattingly 0, Bryan Taylor 7, Justin Wood 13, Brian Bain 8, Jason Sanders 25, Tim Brewer 6, Jerard Manning 0, Tim Black 6, George Bush 8, Nick Bloemhof 3

USC Aiken (65): Lee Burton 17, Minda Statkus 12, Todd Williams 9, Curt Triplin 12, Bryant Latimer 6, Jamall Gray 9, Trent Boyd 0, Martynas Valaitis 0, Mira Jonuska 0