Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Michael Technow acquired his second career double-double to lead USC Aiken to its sixth straight victory in a 78-66 win over Armstrong Atlantic State in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena.

USC Aiken is now 8-3 on the 2009-10 season. The victory over the Pirates improved the Pacers to 3-1 in the Peach Belt Conference. Armstrong Atlantic State dropped to 5-7 overall and 0-3 in the PBC with the loss to the Pacers on Saturday afternoon.

The first half began with USC Aiken and Armstrong Atlantic playing neck-and-neck for the majority of the first 12 minutes. In fact, the score was tied 22-22 with 8:10 remaining in the first stanza.

The Pirates would then proceed to go on a 6-0 run over the next three minutes to hold a 28-22 lead with just over five minutes left until intermission.

Almost four minutes later the Pacers had whittled the lead back down to two points. Down 32-27, USC Aiken sharpshooter Mark Brown (Charlotte, N.C./Hickory Grove Christian) nailed a three-pointer to put the score at 32-30 with 1:34 left in the first half. The Pacers would not be able to knock down another basket in the first half, allowing Armstrong Atlantic State to add three points in the final minute and a half to own a 35-30 lead going into the second half of action.

USC Aiken hit on 12 of their 29 field goal attempts (41.4 percent) in the first half of play, while the Pirates were able to connect on 13 of their 28 field goal attempts (46.4 percent) in the first half.

The Pirates commenced the second half by going on a 6-2 run to hold their biggest lead of the game up to that point at 41-32. Casey McMasters (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) snapped the Pirates' short run to start the second half by calmly hitting a three-pointer that cut the Armstrong Atlantic State lead to just six points at 41-35 with 18:31 left in the game.

The Pacers were down by just three points seven minutes later after a Michael Technow (Boca Raton, Fla./American) dunk at the 11:37 mark of the second half. The Pacers had cut that margin to one point at 52-51 after Byron Faison (Sumter, S.C./Winthrop) hit one of two free throws with 9:53 remaining in the game.

A Technow lay-up a few seconds later at the 9:32 mark earned the Pacers a 53-52 lead, which was their first lead of the game since the opening minutes of the first half. The Pacers kept pushing and another Technow lay-up two minutes later had put the Pacers up by four points at 58-54 with 7:52 left in the second stanza.

The Pacers would not allow the Pirates to get any closer as they pulled ahead by nine points at 75-66 with just over 30 seconds left in the game. Two Brown free throws with eight seconds left allowed USC Aiken to set the final score at 78-66 in their favor.

The Pacers scorched the nets to the tune of a 53.6 percent (30-for-56) shooting performance. USC Aiken shot 66.7 percent (18-for-27) from the floor in the second half. Armstrong Atlantic finished the game shooting 41.8 percent (23-for-55) as a team.

The Pacers nailed 11 three-pointers (11-for-24, 45.8 percent) in the game. USC Aiken has now hit 11 or more three-pointers in a game three times in the 2009-10 season.

Technow finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. The American University transfer was almost perfect from the floor, hitting on six of his seven shot attempts from the field.

Faison was the leading scorer for the Pacers in the game with 15 points. Faison was 5-for-12 from the field. He hit three 3-pointers in the victory over the Pirates.

Brown was the final Pacer in double digits with Brown collecting 14 points. All four of Brown's field goals came from beyond the arc. He was 2-for-2 from the free throw line. Brown, who collected a career-high 22 points in USC Aiken's win over UNC Pembroke earlier this week, has already scored 47 points this week.

Rashad Flowers (Charleston, S.C./Garrett Academy) did not score in double figures in the game for the Pacers, but he was able to bring down 10 rebounds. He has now secured 10 or more rebounds in a game four times this season.

Armstrong Atlantic State's Keron McKenzie was the top scorer in the loss to the Pacers on Saturday afternoon, scoring 24 points. McKenzie was 8-for-17 from the field.

USC Aiken's week concludes tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 10) with Columbus State visiting the Convocation Center for a doubleheader. The Pacer women and Columbus State women will begin the twinbill with a 2:30 p.m. contest. The USC Aiken men and the Columbus State men will then close the afternoon out by playing the second game of the doubleheader at approximately 4:30 p.m.

The USC Aiken-Columbus State doubleheader will be Cedar Creek West Day at the Convocation Center. The USC Aiken athletic department will also honor its spring student-athletes during the twinbill. During the men's game as always there will be the Burger King Breakfast Shot for a Car where one fan will have the opportunity to take a shot for a free car!

For those unable to make it to the games as always the USC Aiken Sports Information Department has you covered. 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.