Box Score COLUMBUS, Ga.--USC Aiken men's basketball team slips to 2-7 (0-2, PBC) after a tough road loss to Columbus State (8-4, 2-1 PBC). A struggling Pacer squad showed sparks of offensive drives but couldn't come away with the win this evening at the Lumpkin Center. The Cougars continue to dominate the series (22-7) winning at the last 10 meetings. USCA hasn't won on the road versus Columbus State since its 79-78 thriller on January 6, 1993(ARNOLD COATES PICTURED).

The night started off with a hot streak from the Cougar starting five who went on a 17-4 run through the first five minutes of game time. The Pacers couldn't fall into a groove, missing all six three-point attempts early in the game. At 13:08, Richard Glover found space on the outside and set back a tre to give the Pacers an offensive spurt.

Glover hit a career high eight points; shooting perfect from the field (5-of-5) including two three-point baskets.

At 8:29 on the game clock, Glover fed the ball to senior post player Arnold Coates who laid it up to get the Pacers back on track. An 11-0 run followed, getting USC Aiken within four at 5:55 in the game. However, Another offensive drive by the Cougars sends them ahead by 13 with two minutes left in the half. A pair of three's by the Pacers Josh Poston and Richard Blocker gets USCA to within seven (33-40) as the time runs out on the half.

USC Aiken built up energy for the second half and came out of the gate strong with an 8-1 run beginning at 15:07 on the clock. Trailing by two, Coates gets down inside the pressure zone and tips in a basket to tie the game at 51-all with 12:55 remaining in the game. The Pacers would keep the game close during the next two minutes. A couple offensive rebounds, converted to baskets by the Cougars Justin Wilson, would continue into a 10-2 run towards the end of regulation. 

Two more Pacer tre's under the one-minute mark were too late as Columbus State end's it, 76-67. 

Coates led USC Aiken with 20 points, the only double-figure player from the Pacer squad. He also pulled down a career-high nine rebounds while shooting 10-of-14 from the field.

The Cougars' Nathan Patterson hit double-double figures with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Four other players tabbed double-figure points.

The Pacers will host Clayton State on Saturday, January 7, at 7:30 p.m. Columbus State also stays home this Saturday, while the visiting Augusta State Jags look for a win in the tough Lumpkin Center. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Newspaper Box Score
USC Aiken vs. Columbus State
01/04/06 7:30 PM at Columbus, GA...Lumpkin Center
At Columbus, GA...Lumpkin Center

COLUMBUS STATE 76, USC AIKEN 67

USC AIKEN (2-7, 0-3 PBC)
Coates, Arnold 10-14 0-0 20; Oguchi, Kingsley 4-8 1-1 9; Poston, Josh 3-9 2-2 9; Varga, Lukas 3-7 1-1 8; Glover, Richard 3-3 0-2 8; Blocker, Richard 3-6 1-1 8; Brown, Chris 1-7 0-0 2; Oates, Theo 1-4 0-0 2; Burr, Kenny 0-4 1-2 1; DePaula, Tiago 0-0 0-0 0; Sampson, Anthony 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-62 6-9 67.

COLUMBUS STATE (8-4, 2-1 PBC)
Antoine, Ransom 7-14 2-5 18; Portis, Corris 5-12 1-1 14; Wilson, Justin 4-7 2-2 12; Robinson, Ron 2-7 5-6 10; Patterson, Nathan 4-4 2-3 10; Davis, Will 3-5 0-0 6; Neal, Battle 1-1 0-0 3; Holloway, Quay 1-6 0-0 3; Tarver, Jeff 0-0 0-0 0; Boyd, Mike 0-0 0-0 0; Miller, Sean 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-57 12-17 76.

USC Aiken.......................... 33 34 - 67
Columbus State................ 40 36 - 76
3-point goals-USC Aiken 5-25 (Glover, Richard 2-2; Varga, Lukas 1-4; Poston, Josh 1-5; Blocker, Richard 1-3; Burr, Kenny 0-4; Brown, Chris 0-5; Oguchi, Kingsley 0-2), Columbus State 10-27 (Portis, Corris 3-8; Antoine, Ransom 2-5; Wilson, Justin 2-3; Holloway, Quay 1-3; Robinson, Ron 1-5; Neal, Battle 1-1; Miller, Sean 0-1; Davis, Will 0-1). Fouled out--USC Aiken-None, Columbus State-None. Rebounds-USC Aiken 29 (Coates, Arnold 9), Columbus State 38 (Patterson, Nathan 10). Assists-USC Aiken 12 (Glover, Richard 3; Blocker, Richard 3), Columbus State 8 (Portis, Corris 3; Robinson, Ron 3). Total fouls-USC Aiken 16, Columbus State 13. A-299