Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken couldn't overcome a 16-point second half deficit and fell to USC Upstate, 80-71, tonight at "The Courthouse" in Aiken, S.C. The game was Steve Franklin's first as USCA's Interim Head Coach. Franklin took over when Mike Roberts resigned on Dec. 30. Charleston Long scored a game-high 26 points for the Spartans (9-3, 1-0 PBC). Richard Blocker led the Pacers (4-7, 0-1 PBC) with 17 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. 

Luke Payne's jumper with 18:38 left in the game gave USC Upstate a 16-point advantage, 50-34. USC Aiken cut the deficit to 12 five times over the next six and a half minutes but couldn't get any closer. Another basket by Payne, with 10:32 on the clock, gave the Spartans another 16-point lead.

The Pacers answered with a 13-2 run to get back in the game. Curt Triplin's jumper started it off at the 10:32 mark. A Josh Geyer three-pointer got the deficit under 10 points, 65-56, with 7:56 remaining. Blocker capped it off and drew the home team within five points, 65-60, with 6:10 to go.

A jumper and a free throw from Triplin closed the gap to four points, 72-68, with 3:41 remaining, but USCA would get no closer. After Geyer cut it to four a second time with 3:19 to go, the Pacers hit just one shot and committed three turnovers in the final three minutes. USC Upstate connected on all six of its free throws to seal the victory.

"The guys played hard for 40 minutes, that's what I asked for," said Franklin. "Their effort was there, we just made too many mistakes."

USC Aiken finished with 24 turnovers in the game. The Spartans shot nearly 60 percent (16-of-27) from the field in the first half and built a 12-point halftime lead. USCA made 38.5 percent (10-of-26) of its first half shots but improved to 53.6 percent (15-of-28) in the second half.
C.J. Paul scored 14 points and Jay Free and Payne each finished with 13 for USC Upstate. Triplin scored 13 points and added six boards for the Pacers. Geyer added 10 points and five rebounds.

Upstate jumped out to a quick lead by scoring the game's first eight points. Josh Poston brought USC Aiken within four with a lay-up and a free throw at the 10:17 mark. A 7-2 run in the closing minutes of the first half, finished off by a Paul three-pointer, gave the Spartans a 14-point advantage, 35-21, with 2:51 to go before intermission. Poston's trey at the buzzer sent USCA to the locker room trailing by 12, 44-32.

The Pacers return to action on Saturday when they play host to the NCAA Division II defending National Champions, Kennesaw State University. The Owls are currently ranked sixth in the nation. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. 

SCORING:
USC Upstate (80): Charleston Long 26, C.J. Paul 14, Luke Payne 13, Jay Free 13, Charlie O'Neal 4, Erikas Kaupaitis 4, Jeremy Byrd 3, Ivica Grgurovic 3, Lamario Merriwether 0, Josh Brown 0

USC Aiken (71): Richard Blocker 17, Curt Triplin 13, Josh Geyer 10, Arnold Coates 8, Trent Boyd 8, Josh Poston 8, Kenny Burr 7, Anthony Sampson 0, Theo Oates 0, Marcus Robinson 0, Richard Glover 0