AIKEN, S.C. - University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball player Byron Faison was chosen as the USC Aiken Athletic Department Student-Athlete of the Week on March 8, 2010.

Faison was named the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player en route to helping to lead the Pacers to their first Peach Belt Conference Tournament crown since 1993.

The Crestwood High school product had one of the most impressive offensive stretches of the 2009-10 season for the Pacers in the first half of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 7.

The Pacers down 17-16 with 9:22 remaining in the first stanza of the championship game, Faison scored 15 consecutive points for the Pacers over the next five minutes to give the Pacers a four-point 31-27 lead with 4:03 left until intermission. Backed by Faison's individual efforts, the Pacers would never fall behind again as they garnered the championship game victory.

Faison concluded the PBC Tournament Championship game with 19 points in 27 minutes of action. Faison was 8-for-14 from the floor in the contest.

In USC Aiken's Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinal win over Clayton State, Faison concluded things with 10 points.

In USC Aiken's PBC Tournament quarterfinal win over Francis Marion, Faison posted a game-high 20 points. He was 7-for-10 from the floor in USC Aiken's resounding 80-59 victory over the Patriots.

The 2009-10 Peach Belt Conference Second Team All-Conference selection averaged 16.3 points per game in total in USC Aiken's triumphant 2010 Marvin Vanover Peach Belt Conference Basketball Championship performance.

The 2010 Peach Belt Conference Tournament champion USC Aiken Pacers are the sixth seed in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional and the Pacers will play PBC rival and third-seeded Georgia College & State in the first round at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 13 at Christenberry Fieldhouse in Augusta, Ga.

The NCAA Division II Southeast Regional will begin with first round games on Saturday, March 13. The regional semifinals are scheduled for Sunday, March 14. The regional championship will be contested on Tuesday, March 16.

The winner of the USC Aiken and GCSU contest will play the winner of the No. 7 Montevallo-No. 2 Mount Olive contest in the semifinals on Sunday, March 14.

The USC Aiken Student Athlete of the Week award is a newly created award for the 2009-10 athletic year. Each week the USC Aiken athletic department is going to honor one individual from an in-season sport for their hard work and effort.

Check www.PacerSports.com throughout the course of the 2009-10 athletic year to learn more about USC Aiken's Student-Athlete of the Week award.