Box Score AIKEN, S.C. - Freshman
Lindsay Sundberg scored a career-high 17 points to lead USC Aiken (18-8, 10-6 PBC) over Peach Belt rival UNC Pembroke 55-49 in a come-from-behind victory Monday night in the Convocation Center.
The crucial conference victory came on a historic night for senior forward
Morgan Johnson (Marietta, Ga./Presbyterian).
Johnson entered the game three blocked shots shy of the all-time school record and finished the night with five swats to claim the top spot in the USCA record books at 122.
Johnson surpassed previous record holder Charita Sims (1990-92) who held the mark with 119. Johnson now has 158 total blocks in her career, counting her two seasons at Presbyterian College.
The leading scorer on the season for the Pacers, Johnson finished with 10 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists.
Playing without senior guard
Meredith Legg (Huntersville, N.C./Hopewell), who did not dress due to illness, the Pacers found themselves down 23-8 with 7:06 left to play in the first half.
Head coach
Mike Brandt took a 30-second timeout to rally his team and USCA responded by going on a 14-2 run to close out the first half and cut the UNC Pembroke lead, 25-22, heading into halftime.
The Pacers began the second half right where they left off as sophomore guard Trianna Harris (Springfield, Va./ West Springfield) connected from downtown to tie the game at 25-25.
The two teams would trade baskets for much of the second half before the Pacers took a two-point lead, 38-36, with 11:08 left in regulation.
UNC Pembroke quickly erased the Pacers lead with a 10-0 run to go up 46-38 at the 6:52 mark.
Brandt called a timeout with his team down eight and once again the Pacers would respond.
Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn./E.O. Smith) drilled a three pointer on an assist from senior guard
Megan Starnes (Riley, Kan./ Riley County) coming out of the break to spark an 11-0 USCA run. The run put the Pacers up front for good.
USCA held off the Braves the rest of the way, hitting crucial free throws down the stretch on the way to a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe as a team.
Sundberg knocked down the last two shots of the game from the line with 20 seconds left to seal the win for the Pacers and cap off her career scoring night.
Junior forward
Kendra Chandler (Aiken, S.C./Aiken) finished with eight points to go with her six rebounds. Satu Lepannen (Lahti, Finland/Salpausselan Lukio) also finished with eight points and two rebounds for the Pacers.
USCA is now tied with Lander for fourth place at 10-6 in the PBC.
The Pacers wrap up their three-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 18 when the Bearcats travel to the Convocation Center for a 5:30 pm matchup. The contest is the first game of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader with the No. 15 USC Aiken scheduled to take on the Lander men immediately following the women's game.
