AUGUSTA, Ga. – The USC Aiken men's basketball team had two student-athletes chosen to the Peach Belt Conference All-Academic Team on Thursday.

Senior Brian Egwuatu (Houston, Texas/Texas Southern) and junior Casey McMasters (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) were both tabbed to the second team.

Egwuautu concluded his USC Aiken playing career fourth all-time in career blocks in school history with 82.

Egwuautu scored a career high 20 points in USC Aiken's win over Allen in December.

In the classroom, Egwuautu carries a 3.36 grade point average. He will graduate soon from USC Aiken with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science.

McMasters really started coming into his own late in conference season in the 2008-09 season. McMasters secured double figures five times during the year with four of the five double-digit outings coming during a stretch where he scored 10 or more in four of the final six league games of the year for the Pacers.

McMasters tallied a season-high 13 in USC Aiken's regular season finale against Georgia College & State. He was 5-for-7, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, in the contest.

McMasters ended the year shooting over 50 percent from beyond the arc.

A junior, McMasters is a Business and Finance major that carries a 3.25 GPA.

Both Egwuatu and McMasters were part of a Pacer 2008-09 season that saw the program reach unprecedented heights.

The 2008-09 Pacers reached the “Sweet Sixteen” of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. They concluded the year with a 25-8 record, giving the program two straight 20-win seasons in consecutive years for the first time in almost 30 years.

USC Aiken in the two years won a school-record 52 games.

The PBC All-Academic team is part of a new season-long program recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of PBC student-athletes in the classroom as well as on the field. To be eligible for the All-Academic team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution.

The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee and select the teams.

Founded in 1991, the Peach Belt Conference is home to 26 NCAA Division II National Championships. 11 member institutions in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia compete in 12 championship sports. 2008-09 members are Augusta State Uni¬versity, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Clayton State University, Columbus State University, Francis Marion University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Lander University, North Georgia College & State University, University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the University of South Carolina Aiken.