Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--For the first time in two years, the USC Aiken Lady Pacers (13-6, 3-2 PBC) were on the right end of a close game knocking off Georgia College & State University (12-5, 3-3 PBC) in a big Peach Belt Conference cross divisional showdown on Saturday night at "The Courthouse". USCA last won a game decided by three points or less on February 26, 2003, a 64-63 victory over Francis Marion, a span of 10 such games. With the win, the Lady Pacers improved to 8-0 at home and vault to the top of the North Division standings. 

GC&SU entered the game ranked fifth in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic region poll while the Lady Pacers debuted at number nine. Down 30-29 at the break, it was also USCA's first win of the season when trailing at intermission. 

The Lady Bobcats built an early 11-4 lead behind their trademark suffocating defense and some unexpected sharp shooting. Alicia Porter gave the conference's top scoring defensive team (56.2 ppg) its largest advantage of the game 26-15 with 6:01 left until half holding the Lady Pacers without a field goal for over three minutes. 

USCA countered with a 14-2 run capped by back-to-back three-pointers from sophomore point guard Mindy Allee to push the Lady Pacers ahead 29-28 with 1:46 on the clock, the team's first lead in nearly 18 minutes. Allee finished 4-of-6 from the field including 2-of-2 from deep and 3-of-4 at the line for 13 points to go with five assists. 

Kirsti Jones connected on a pair of free throws with 56.4 remaining to put GC&SU up at the half 30-29. Jones ended with five points and five of the team's 19 steals. 

The final stanza was as good as advertised featuring eight ties and six lead changes. USCA built a 43-38 lead on Allee's lay-up with 10:58 remaining only to see the Lady Bobcats respond with a 9-2 spurt to race back in front 47-45 on LaWanna Leon's jumper with 8:59 to play. Leon had seven points. 

The lead see-sawed back and forth over the next five minutes until Allee converted a pair of free throws to put the Lady Pacers back on top 54-53 with 4:31 on the clock. USCA never trailed again, doing just enough at the line down the stretch (6-of-11). Benazura Serbecic was 3-of-4 inside the final 27.6 to seal the win. 

Serbecic scored 11 of her 12 points and grabbed 11 of her career-high tying 15 rebounds in the second half. It was her four double double of the season. Kasey Mills added nine points and six assists while Nola Grant chipped in a strong 11 points and seven rebounds. Eboni Speller was 4-of-5 for eight points in 14 minutes off the bench. 

Latia Love led GC&SU with 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting. After opening 11-of-24 from the field through the first 14 minutes of the game (45.8 percent), the Lady Bobcats managed just 12-of-38 the rest of the game (31.6 percent). 

Lindsey Smith added nine points and five steals while Ashley Williams, Amanda Lomax, and Porter each chipped in eight points. 

USCA out rebounded GC&SU 44-34, but committed 26 turnovers compared the Lady Bobcats' 18. 

Later on in the evening, USC Aiken honored its 2004 NCAA Division II National Champion golf team and presented players with rings. 

USC Aiken, winners of five of the last seven meetings between the two programs, improves to 56-17 at home over the past five seasons (.767). The Lady Pacers will host UNC Pembroke on Wednesday, January 26 at 5:30 PM. GC&SU will travel to Kennesaw State also on Wednesday at 5:30 PM.
Newspaper Box Score
Georgia College & State Univ. vs USC Aiken
01/22/04 5:30 p.m. at Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)

USC AIKEN 64, GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIV. 62

GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIV. (12-5, 3-3 PBC)
Love, Latia 3-10 4-7 10; Smith, Lindsey 4-5 1-2 9; Williams, Ashley 3-12 1-2 8; Porter, Alicia 4-7 0-0 8; Lomax, Amanda 3-5 0-0 8; Miliner, Cassie 2-6 3-6 7; Leon, LaWanna 3-5 1-1 7; Jones, Kirsti 1-7 2-2 5; Phelps, Renea 0-2 0-0 0; Bloodworth, Lindsey 0-2 0-0 0; Dawson, Shanice 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-63 12-20 62.

USC AIKEN (13-6, 3-2 PBC)
Allee, Mindy 4-6 3-4 13; Serbecic, Benazura 2-6 8-12 12; Grant, Nola 5-12 1-3 11; Mills, Kasey 2-10 5-6 9; Speller, Eboni 4-5 0-0 8; Mandic, Lana 3-6 0-0 6; Gebhardt, Katie 2-4 0-3 5; Sumter, Shannon 0-1 0-0 0; Szabo, Beata 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-50 17-28 64.

Georgia Coll. & State U... 30 32 - 62
USC Aiken......................... 29 35 - 64

3-point goals-Georgia College & State Univ. 4-14 (Lomax, Amanda 2-4; Williams, Ashley 1-3; Jones, Kirsti 1-2; Miliner, Cassie 0-2; Bloodworth, Lindsey 0-1; Porter, Alicia 0-1; Love, Latia 0-1), USC Aiken 3-8 (Allee, Mindy 2-2; Gebhardt, Katie 1-3; Mills, Kasey 0-2; Speller, Eboni 0-1). Fouled out--Georgia College & State Univ.-Love, Latia, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds-Georgia College & State Univ. 34 (Miliner, Cassie 9), USC Aiken 44 (Serbecic, Benazura 15). Assists-Georgia College & State Univ. 15 (Smith, Lindsey 3; Love, Latia 3), USC Aiken 16 (Mills, Kasey 6). Total fouls-Georgia College & State Univ. 24, USC Aiken 16. A-1185.
Boxscore