Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--Career nights by Tiago DePaula, Chris Brown and Richard Blocker helps give the USC Aiken Pacers (3-10, 1-6 PBC) the 89-76 victory and their first Peach Belt Conference win. The win lifts USCA out of its nine-game rut. Following defeat, UNC Pembroke slips to 4-10 overall (1-7 PBC) and is handed its six-straight loss of the season. With all eleven Pacers getting time and at least two points on the court, USC Aiken gets its first win of 2006 and gives preview as to what is possible when the Pacer offense is on fire. (RICHARD BLOCKER PICTURED)

After a slow start, the Pacers Richard Blocker bursts through at 13:10 on the game clock and hits his first of many threes for the night. Seconds later, Blocker rips the ball from Jarrell Hunter, runs down the court and sails over his defender jamming the ball with one hand to ignite "The Courthouse" crowd. 

Blocker hit five three-pointers on the night, tying his career record for a single game. His last five-basket game was on Feb. 5, 2005, against Armstrong Atlantic. He also hit his season-high attempts of three pointers with 10.

Down 14-8, the Braves call a timeout to organize their offense but as the game starts again, Lukas Varga feeds the ball to Richard Glover who swishes back a three. Another timeout for the Braves proves more beneficial as Mark Salazar hits three, ending the Pacer run and sending UNCP on a streak of its own (12-7) and gets the game within one (24-23) at 6:14.

In a night where three-point buckets didn't stop, Josh Poston and Kenny Burr hit back-to-back tre's to give USC Aiken the 30-25 lead with just over five minutes in the half. USCA was just one bucket shy of its record for three-pointers made and attempted in a single game. 

With a quick 7-0 spurt at 2:54 by the Braves, the half ended rounding out close with USCA leading the way 42-38.

Offense continued to roll with the Pacers at the start of the second half who went on a 10-0 run which included Chris Brown's three-point bucket at 18:02 on the clock.

Brown had a career-high night with a total 16 points, including three rebounds and four assists. Brown tied his three-point field goal record with three, which he also tabbed this season at Armstrong Atlantic on Dec. 30.

With 14:52 left in the game, two back-to-back three's by the Brave's Hunter cut the Pacers lead to five, giving way to a quick timeout by the Pacer bench. Right out of the timeout, Hunter went up for a lay-up that was denied by Blocker with a huge defensive play for the Pacers. The block was converted down court to Kingsley Oguchi who passed it to Blocker at the top of the key and knocked back another three. 

A foul by UNCP's Chris Campbell sent newcomer Tiago DePaula to the line. A normally mid-range free throw shooter, DePaula stepped up and hit one-of-two on this foul but would be sent to the line four more times. His career-high four free throws of the night helped get USC Aiken shooting 73.5 percent from the charity stripe. DePaula also tabbed two more for the record books with a career-high 10 points and five rebounds on the game.

DePaula's second-set of freebies helped elevate the Pacers and sends them on an 11-2 run. His jumper in the paint at 6:14 put USC Aiken up by 18 points and its largest lead of the night (76-58).

UNC Pembroke tried to claw its way back with a 9-1 run at 3:55 left in the game but Blocker's hot streak proved again to be too much for the Braves. With three minutes left Oguchi sends it up top again to Blocker who hits another three and puts the Pacers on top by 13, which would go on to be the final margin with the USC Aiken finishing up 89-76.

Josh Poston also finished well for the Pacers with 13 points and four assists, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the charity stripe.

Campbell and Salazar led UNC Pembroke with 15 and 14 points respectively. Hunter was just steps behind with 12 points and team-high eight rebounds.

USC Aiken finished shooting 47.3 percent from the field (26-of-55) and UNC Pembroke ended at 36.0 percent (27-of-75).

The Pacers travel to Greenwood, S.C., on Saturday, January 21 to face the Lander Bearcats at 7:30 p.m. UNC Pembroke hosts the Columbus State Cougars on Saturday as well. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

Newspaper Box Score
UNC Pembroke vs USC Aiken
01/18/06 7:30 PM at Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)
At Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)

USC AIKEN 89, UNC PEMBROKE 76

UNC PEMBROKE (4-10, 1-7 PBC)
Campbell, Chris 6-7 3-3 15; Salazar, Mark 6-10 0-1 14; Hunter, Jarrell 4-14 2-2 12; Moore, Lee 3-10 1-2 8; Pinkston, Gabe 3-8 2-6 8; Carr, Tony 2-3 2-4 6; Danielsen, Arne 2-4 1-1 6; Brown, Jeffrey 1-7 3-3 5; Lawrence, Scooter 0-7 2-2 2; Royal, Curtis 0-2 0-0 0; Adams, Jabarr 0-1 0-0 0; Baker, Jawann 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-75 16-24 76.

USC AIKEN (3-10, 1-6 PBC)
Blocker, Richard 6-12 2-2 19; Brown, Chris 4-5 5-6 16; Poston, Josh 4-9 3-3 13; DePaula, Tiago 3-5 4-6 10; Burr, Kenny 2-7 3-4 8; Coates, Arnold 2-3 3-5 7; Oates, Theo 2-4 1-2 5; Oguchi, Kingsley 1-3 2-4 4; Glover, Richard 1-3 0-0 3; Sampson, Anthony 0-0 2-2 2; Varga, Lukas 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 26-55 25-34 89.

UNC Pembroke.................. 38 38 - 76
USC Aiken.......................... 42 47 - 89

3-point goals-UNC Pembroke 6-28 (Salazar, Mark 2-5; Hunter, Jarrell 2-5; Danielsen, Arne 1-3; Moore, Lee 1-5; Lawrence, Scooter 0-1; Royal, Curtis 0-1; Adams, Jabarr 0-1; Baker, Jawann 0-2; Brown, Jeffrey 0-3; Pinkston, Gabe 0-2), USC Aiken 12-32 (Blocker, Richard 5-10; Brown, Chris 3-4; Poston, Josh 2-7; Burr, Kenny 1-5; Glover, Richard 1-2; Varga, Lukas 0-2; Oguchi, Kingsley 0-2). Fouled out--UNC Pembroke-None, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds-UNC Pembroke 44 (Hunter, Jarrell 8), USC Aiken 40 (Blocker, Richard 9).Assists-UNC Pembroke 18 (Lawrence, Scooter 9), USC Aiken 16 (Brown, Chris 4; Poston, Josh 4; Varga, Lukas 4). Total fouls-UNC Pembroke 26, USC Aiken 21. A-490 Lee Moore (UNCP) assessed intentional foul at 2:36 of the second half.