Box Score Box Score
MORROW, Ga. - Catherine Cain hit a lay-up with little time left in overtime to send the USC Aiken women's basketball team to a thrilling 57-56 victory over 14th-ranked Clayton State on Saturday evening at the Athletics and Fitness Center.
USC Aiken thought that they had obtained the victory in regulation with Cain hitting two free throws with 16.2 seconds remaining to give the Pacers a 51-49 lead. Clayton State's Brittany Hall was able to knock down a jumper with 2.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and send the game into overtime with things all square at 51-51.
In the final minute of overtime, USC Aiken forced Clayton State into a turnover due to a shot clock violation with 31 seconds left in the extra frame. USC Aiken would run the clock down considerably and with the Pacers down by one point with 2.5 seconds left on the game clock, Cain was able to hit a lay-up to secure the 57-56 victory over the 14th-ranked Lakers.
The Pacers with the victory are now 7-9 overall. The win was the Pacers' second Peach Belt Conference victory of the season with the Pacers moving to 2-5 in league play. The 14th-ranked Lakers dropped to 12-3 on the year overall, including 3-2 in the PBC.
USC Aiken also improved its mark against ranked teams under Mike Brandt to an impressive 11-15. The Pacers are now 6-7 against ranked foes under Brandt on the road. The Pacers have also now won eight of their last 15 games against ranked foes. Amazingly, six of USC Aiken's 16 games in the 2009-10 season have come against ranked opposition.
The Pacers and Lakers entered intermission with Clayton State clinging to a three-point 26-23 advantage. The Lakers would control most of the first 15 minutes of the second half, pulling ahead by 10 points at 47-37 with 5:49 remaining in regulation.
It was at this point in time that the Pacers took control of their destiny, going a 12-2 run to tie the game at 49-49 after a Triahna Harris (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) three-pointer with 1:04 left in the second half. The Pacers would then take the lead for the first time in the second half seconds later on the free throws by Cain (Dayton, Ohio/Ohio University). Hall's jumper would send the game into overtime, but Cain would remain the hero with the lay-up in the waning seconds of overtime.
The Pacers shot just 33.9 percent in the game from the field, but the Pacer defense held the nationally-ranked Lakers to a 35.1 shooting performance in the game as a team.
USC Aiken's Hannah DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack College) was the top scorer in the game, obtaining 16 points in the Pacer win. DeGraffinreed was 6-for-8 from the floor in the game.
Three Pacers in total recorded double figures in the game with Cain (11) and Kendra Chandler (10) both finishing in double digits. Chandler (Aiken, S.C./Aiken) also had five rebounds in the game.
Hall was the top scorer in the loss for the Lakers with 15 points.
USC Aiken now has one day off before turning back around to head into Georgia once again on Monday, Jan. 18 for a Peach Belt Conference men's and women's basketball doubleheader against North Georgia in Dahlonega, Ga.
The Pacer women and the North Georgia women will kick things off at 5:30 p.m. The USC Aiken men and the Saint men will then take the hardwood against one another immediately following the women's game at approximately 7:30 p.m. The North Georgia sports information department will provide live stats and a free live webcast. 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.
