COLUMBUS, Ga. – The eighth-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team erased a five-point halftime deficit to acquire a 68-61 Peach Belt Conference victory over Columbus State on Saturday afternoon at the Lumpkin Center.

The victory improves USC Aiken to 6-1 (2-1 PBC) on the 2010-11 season. Columbus State with the loss is now 2-4 (0-1 PBC).

The Pacers trailed for most of the first half, going down by as many as ten points. The score was 29-24 at halftime in Columbus State's favor.

USC Aiken opened the second half on a 6-2 run over the first two and a half minutes to pull within one at 31-30.

USC Aiken took the lead for the first time in quite some time with 16:50 remaining in the second stanza when Kevin Willis (Atlanta, Ga./Kaskaskia) knocked down a lay-up to set the score 32-31 in USC Aiken's favor.

After the made lay-up, Willis then was able to collect the ball off a Columbus State turnover. Re'mon Nelson (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) then found Kenny Manigault (Summerville, S.C./Wichita State) for a jumper that extended USC Aiken's lead to three at 34-31 with 16:02 left in the game.

The score would still be in USC Aiken's favor almost five minutes later as the Pacers owned a three-point lead at 44-41 with 11:54 remaining after a Myles Holley (Norfolk, Va./Nebraska) alley-oop dunk off an assist from Sterling Council (Camden, S.C./Camden). The Pacer advantage was seven just over a minute later at 48-41 after a Holley lay-up on a Council jump shot.

The Cougars would not go away in the contest, pulling back to within two at 54-52 with 4:41 left in the second half.

USC Aiken would then proceed to go a 6-1 spurt that was punctuated by a Manigault three-point play. The 6-1 run earned USC Aiken a 60-53 lead with 3:06 left on the game clock.

Once again, the Pacer lead would not last though with Columbus State pulling back to within one at 62-61 with 1:25 remaining. Darius McKnight made his first of two free throws to place the Cougars within one, but McKnight stepped over the line on his second free throw attempt to negate the second shot and leave the Pacers up by one.

After the McKnight error each team then missed a shot before Holley was able to connect on a baseline jumper with 34 seconds left to put the Pacers ahead by three at 64-61. Nelson then hit both of his free throws after being fouled to leave USC Aiken up by five at 66-61 with 15 seconds remaining.

Holley would add two free throws of his own with two seconds left to help the Pacers settle the final score at 68-61 in their favor.

USC Aiken as a team finished its victory over Columbus State shooting 50 percent (27-for-54). Columbus State shot 42 percent (20-for-48) from the floor as a team.

The Pacers connected upon 79 percent (11-for-14) of their free throw attempts in the contest.

Holley was the top producer for the Pacers in the contest with 14 points.  He just missed out on his second double-double of the year, concluding Saturday's victory with nine boards. He was 6-for-11 from the field in the game.

In total three Pacers finished in double figures including Holley with Manigault just behind Holley with 13 points. Manigault was 6-for-8 from the field in the game.

Nelson was the final Pacer in double digits with 11 points. He also had four assists.

Willis could not secure double figures, but he was able to finish with eights point and nine rebounds.

Columbus State was guided by the tandem of Steve Peterson and Jamarquis Steverson, who both ended their days with 15 points.

Columbus State's Paul Darkwa obtained a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pacers will now have five days off before returning to the hardwood to next compete in the 2010 Conoco Phillips and Quality Energy Services USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic at the Convocation Center.

The Pacers, who will play two games in the event, will commence their action in the 2010 Conoco Phillips and Quality Energy Services USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic with a 7:30 p.m. game against Shaw on Thursday, Dec. 16.

All four of the games in the 2010 Conoco Phillips and Quality Energy Services USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com. For more information on the 2010 Conoco Phillips and Quality Energy Services USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic, please visit the official tournament website: http://www.pacersports.com/sports/mbkb/2010-11/releases/tournament