Box Score AUGUSTA, Ga.--Brandi Hollingsworth's 35-footer at the buzzer continued USC Aiken's frustrations on the road, and in particular, at the Christenberry Fieldhouse. Augusta State (12-10, 6-5 PBC) rallied to beat the Lady Pacers (16-9, 6-5 PBC) 50-49 in a key women's Peach Belt Conference basketball showdown on Wednesday night. USCA has now lost its last four road games and three-straight at ASU by three points or less. 

It was two years ago, same scenario, time winding down and Augusta State with the basketball. Game tied 48-48. Mike Brandt's first-ever Peach Belt Conference game. Ernesia Wideman hit a 16-footer as time expired for the 50-48 upset. To make matters worse, Augusta State rallied from a 51-43 deficit in the final 4:08 last year at the Christenberry Fieldhouse to pull out the 58-55 win. Ironically, Wideman was honored during halftime ceremonies. 

It looked early on as if the Lady Pacers, ranked fifth in the latest NCAA South Atlantic Region poll released today, would cruise to the win. USCA jumped out to a 21-8 lead on a pair of free throws by Benazura Serbecic with 5:02 left until half. But after holding the Lady Jags scoreless for nearly seven minutes, a Hollingsworth three-pointer ignited a 9-0 run to close the half and leave USCA with just a 21-17 advantage at the break. 

Twice USC Aiken led by six points early in the second half, but Taliah Roberts' free throws with 9:43 remaining tied the game for the first time at 30-30. Andrea McCurry drained one of her two second-half triples to give ASU its first lead of the game 35-34 with 7:04 to play. 

That lead was short lived as Lana Mandic canned a trey 18 seconds later to push USCA back in front 37-35. Augusta State led for just 39 total seconds in the contest. 

Following another McCurry three to slice it to 39-38, the Lady Pacers used a 6-0 run to claim its largest second half advantage 45-38 with 2:51 remaining on Serbecic's lay-up. The Lady Jags, however, countered with a 9-1 run to edge in front 47-46 on Latoya Renwrick's bucket with 39.5 left on the clock. 

On the ensuing possession, Katie Gebhardt converted a feed inside with 19.9 remaining to retake the lead 48-47. 

After winding the clock down to 8.1 and taking a timeout, Kasie Muchler's pass for Hollingsworth went out of bounds, seemingly sealing the game for USCA. 

Kasey Mills was fouled on the inbounds with 4.6 left. After hitting the first free throw, Mills, who was 5-of-6 on the day, missed the second. Renwrick grabbed the rebound, made an outlet pass to Hollingsworth who dribbled four times and launched the shot with 0.2 remaining. 

The nothing-but-net bucket sent the crowd into a frenzy with the 50-49 stunner.

Hollingsworth finished with 12 points on 3-of-7 from deep. Renwrick poured in 12 of her game-high 18 points in the second half. 

Mandic scored 11 of her 15 in the second stanza on 7-of-12 shooting. Mills added 11 points while Serbecic pulled down 13 rebounds to go with nine points. Nola Grant blocked a career-high four shots to go with six points and seven boards. 

Augusta State out rebounded USC Aiken 41-35, just the fourth time it has happened this year. ASU's bench won that battle as well 20-5. 

USC Aiken, now in a three-way tie atop the North Division, will host Lander on Saturday, February 12 at 5:30 PM. This will also be "Take a Kid to the Game". Children 15 and under will be admitted free.
Newspaper Box Score
USC Aiken vs Augusta State
02/09/05 5:30 p.m. at Augusta, Ga. (Christenberry Fieldhouse)

AUGUSTA STATE 50, USC AIKEN 49

USC AIKEN (16-9, 6-5 PBC)
Mandic, Lana 7-12 0-0 15; Mills, Kasey 3-9 5-6 11; Serbecic, Benazura 3-11 3-6 9; Grant, Nola 3-9 0-0 6; Gebhardt, Katie 2-3 1-2 5; Allee, Mindy 1-5 0-0 3; Speller, Eboni 0-3 0-0 0; Szabo, Beata 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-52 9-14 49.

AUGUSTA STATE (12-10, 6-5 PBC)
Renwrick, Latoya 7-16 4-4 18; Hollingsworth,Brandi 4-10 1-2 12; McCurry, Andrea 2-4 0-0 6; Wyatt, Jamica 2-4 0-0 4; Pedarre', Christina 2-2 0-0 4; Roberts, Taliah 1-12 2-2 4; Ford, Shirrell 0-3 2-2 2; Muchler, Kasie 0-7 0-0 0. Totals 18-58 9-10 50.

USC Aiken....................... 21 28 - 49
Augusta State................ 17 33 - 50

3-point goals-USC Aiken 2-11 (Mandic, Lana 1-2; Allee, Mindy 1-2; Gebhardt, Katie 0-1; Speller, Eboni 0-3; Mills, Kasey 0-3), Augusta State 5-14 (Hollingsworth,Brandi 3-7; McCurry, Andrea 2-3; Roberts, Taliah 0-1; Muchler, Kasie 0-3). Fouled out--USC Aiken-None, Augusta State-None. Rebounds-USC Aiken 35 (Serbecic, Benazura 13), Augusta State 41 (Renwrick, Latoya 8). Assists-USC Aiken 13 (Serbecic, Benazura 4), Augusta State 13 (Muchler, Kasie 6). Total fouls-USC Aiken 14, Augusta State 14. A-223.