Box Score ROCK HILL, S.C. - Catherine Cain finished with a career-high and game-high 25 points and the Pacers battled until the end in a 62-53 loss to NCAA Division I Winthrop at the Winthrop Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.

The loss drops the Pacers to 4-3 on the 2009-10 season, while Winthrop improves to 3-4 with the win over USC Aiken.

The loss also means that the Pacers are now still an impressive 3-4 against NCAA Division I foes under head coach Mike Brandt. USC Aiken is 3-2 against NCAA Division I competition during the regular season over the last three years.

Winthrop controlled the first 10 minutes of the contest. Sitting behind 14 in the game at 23-9 with 8:54 left in the first stanza, USC Aiken took control of the final eight-plus minutes of the first half.

The Pacer defense would hold the Eagles to just three points over the final 8:54 of the first half.  In fact, Winthrop's offense did not hit a field goal for the final 4:12 of the first half thanks to a staunch Pacer defense.

In turn, USC Aiken's offense would awaken to the tune of a 12-3 run down the stretch of the half to sit behind just five points at 26-21 at intermission.

USC Aiken was just 8-for-25 (32 percent) from the field in the first half, while Winthrop was 11-for-25 (44 percent) from the floor in the first half of action.

Winthrop came out firing in the second half by going on a 20-2 run that earned them a 46-23 advantage with 13:48 left in the second half. USC Aiken's
Nakia Pinkney (Orangeburg, S.C./Orangeburg-Wilkinson) ended the run for the Eagles by knocking down a three-pointer with 12:31 remaining.

USC Aiken would not give up though, using the Pinkney three-pointer to go on a 16-7 run to pull back to within 14 points at 53-39 with 8:04 left in the contest.

USC Aiken continued to whittle away from the large second half deficit by sitting behind just nine at 56-47 with 2:29 left in the game.

The Pacers would not be able to get any closer with the two teams settling on a nine-point Winthrop victory at 62-53. 

Cain (Dayton, Ohio/Ohio University) was 9-for-14, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, en route to the 25 points. She also had four rebounds and five assists in the contest.

Cain was the only Pacer double figures although Hannah DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack College) concluded her day with seven points and seven rebounds.

Two Eagles finished in double figures in the win over USC Aiken with Shelly Hankins leading the way with 14 points, five assists and five rebounds. Winthrop's Mary Hathaway had 13 points and seven rebounds. 

The Pacers ended the day shooting 31.1 percent, while the Eagles shot a collective 42.3 percent.

USC Aiken will spend the majority of its week concentrating on academics since it is finals week at USC Aiken. The Pacers will next return to face Peach Belt Conference rival Georgia College & State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Convocation Center. The game will not count towards the PBC standings as it is a non-conference affair.

Live stats and a live webcast will be available for Pacer fans who are unable to attend the game. The live stats and webcast can be accessed for free by clicking on the live stats link and the video link at www.pacersports.com.