Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--North Georgia (6-0, 2-0 PBC) shot 60.7 percent in the second half, overcoming a 17-point first half deficit to hand USC Aiken (4-4, 0-1 PBC) a 73-63 loss in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action. The Lady Saints also capitalized on 37 attempts from the free throw line compared to 19 for USCA. The first ever meeting between the two programs results in USCA's first home conference opening loss in six years (MEREDITH LEGG PICTURED). 

Leading 18-14 midway through the opening frame, the Lady Pacers held the league's highest scoring offense without a field goal for nearly eight minutes en route to building a 32-15 advantage with 5:07 left on Mindy Allee's backdoor lay-up. USC Aiken opened the game 12-of-19 from the floor for a scorching 63.2 percent. 

North Georgia countered with a 10-4 run of their own to close the final 5:07 of the half, holding USCA to zero field goals and four free throw attempts to set the margin at the break at 36-25. The Lady Pacers held a surprising 16-6 edge in the paint in the opening 20 minutes against the taller Lady Saints. In a half that witnessed an even split of 29 total turnovers, North Georgia converted 9-of-18 at the line while the Lady Pacers made all six of their attempts. 

The Lady Saints opened strong in the final stanza with a 10-4 run to trim the deficit to 40-35 on Jeanine Dorminey's jumper in the paint. She scored 15 of her game-high 24 in the second half to go with 14 rebounds on 8-of-11 from the field and 8-of-11 at the stripe. 

Jordon Thomas' bucket with 9:46 remaining stretched the lead back to 48-40, but again North Georgia struck back and on Dorminey's basket with 5:30 remaining, reclaimed the lead 53-52. 

Meredith Legg canned her third trey of the night 18 ticks later to put USCA back in front 55-53, but a 14-4 run over the next 3:14 resulted in the final lead change of the night as Syretha Marble scored six-straight capped by a lay-up with 1:58 to play to make it 67-59 North Georgia. Marble poured in eight of her 16 points in that crucial run. 

Katie Williamson was also in double figures for North Georgia with 12 points and four assists. Jenica Johnson added eight of the team's 24 bench points.

Allee led the Lady Pacers with 14 points on 4-of-6 from the field and 5-of-5 at the stripe. Megan Starnes and Satu Leppanen each added 12 points while Legg finished with 11 on 3-of-6 from downtown. Avonte Williams dished out a team-best five helpers while Thomas chipped in seven points and seven boards off the bench. 

North Georgia shot 51.1 percent from the field for the game, but struggled at the line converting 23-of-37 for 62.2 percent. The Lady Saints entered the game as the top free throw shooting team in the league at 78.2 percent. 

USC Aiken was a respectable 42.9 percent from the field including 5-of-11 from beyond the arc for 45.5 percent. At the line, they made the most of their chances knocking down 16-of-19 for 84.2 percent. 

USC Aiken will break for the holidays before returning just before the New Year to host Armstrong Atlantic State on Friday, December 30 at 5:30 PM. North Georgia returns home to Dahlonega to host UNC Pembroke on Thursday, December 15 at 5:30 PM. 

Newspaper Box Score
North Georgia vs USC Aiken
12/03/05 5:30 PM at Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)

NORTH GEORGIA 73, USC AIKEN 63

NORTH GEORGIA (6-0, 2-0 PBC)
Dorminey, Jeanine 8-11 8-11 24; Marble, Syretha 6-6 4-9 16; Williamson, Katie 3-7 5-6 12; Johnson, Jenica 3-3 2-3 8; Huffman, Megan 2-12 2-4 7; Seamon, Lara 1-4 1-2 3; Huffman, Lindsey 1-3 1-2 3; Jolley, Rachael 0-1 0-0 0; Kitchens, Lindsey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-47 23-37 73.

USC AIKEN (4-4, 0-1 PBC)
Allee, Mindy 4-6 5-5 14; Leppanen, Satu 6-10 0-1 12; Starnes, Megan 4-10 4-4 12; Legg, Meredith 3-6 2-2 11; Thomas, Jordon 2-3 2-2 7; Williams, Avonte 1-8 3-5 5; Jones, Keirstin 1-1 0-0 2; Chandler, Kendra 0-5 0-0 0; Jackson, Allison 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-49 16-19 63.

North Georgia................. 25 48 - 73
USC Aiken....................... 36 27 - 63

3-point goals-North Georgia 2-7 (Williamson, Katie 1-4; Huffman, Megan 1-2; Dorminey, Jeanine 0-1), USC Aiken 5-11 (Legg, Meredith 3-6; Thomas, Jordon 1-1; Allee, Mindy 1-2; Williams, Avonte 0-1; Leppanen, Satu 0-1). Fouled out--North Georgia-None, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds-North Georgia 31 (Dorminey, Jeanine 14), USC Aiken 29 (Thomas, Jordon 7). Assists-North Georgia 13 (Williamson, Katie 4), USC Aiken 16 (Williams, Avonte 5). Total fouls-North Georgia 22, USC Aiken 25. A-588.