Box Score AUGUSTA, Ga. – In a game that will most certainly go down as an instant classic, USC Aiken was unable to knock off third-ranked Augusta State in a 57-53 overtime loss to the Jaguars in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action on Monday evening at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
The loss drops the Pacer men to 11-7 (5-6 PBC) on the 2010-11 season. Augusta State improved to 17-1 (7-1 PBC) with the overtime win over the Pacers.
Augusta State scored the first eight points of the game to hold an 8-0 lead with 17:06 to go in the first half. After both teams traded free throws, Augusta State owned a 9-1 lead.
The field goal at the 17:06 mark by Augusta State would prove to be the Jaguars only field goal for almost 10 minutes with Augusta State next connecting on a shot from the field with 7:09 remaining in the first half. During the stretch, USC Aiken was able to pull back to within two at 9-7.
Augusta State's field goal at the 7:09 mark was a three-pointer by George Johnson and it gave the Jaguars a five-point 12-7 advantage.
The five-point lead would not last long with USC Aiken going on a 4-0 run over the next four minutes to get within one at 12-11 after a driving Byron Faison (Sumter, S.C./Crestwood) jumper in the paint. The Faison teardrop came with 3:57 on the game clock in the first half.
Sterling Council (Camden, S.C./Camden) then garnered USC Aiken its first lead of the game a minute later at 13-12 on a jumper in the paint as well. Council then nailed a jumper on USC Aiken's next offensive possession to give the Pacers a three-point 15-12 lead.
Johnson hit another three-pointer in the final minutes for Augusta State to send the game into intermission with the game tied at 15-15.
Neither team was able to find separation from one another in the early goings of the second half, but with just over seven minutes gone in the second stanza and the score 24-23 in Augusta State's favor, Johnson hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the home team a seven-point lead at 30-23 with exactly 12 minutes left in regulation.
Almost five minutes later, Augusta State had extended its lead to 10 at 41-31. USC Aiken had cut the Jaguar lead to eight at 43-35 after a Council lay-up at the 3:57 mark.
The Pacers would not go down without a fight though, pulling to within one at 46-45 with 37 seconds remaining in regulation after a Jesse Seilern (Innsbruck, Austria/Kapfenberg) three-pointer, an Alvin Brown (Fort Washington, Md./James Madison) free throw and a Re'mon Nelson (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) lay-up.
After Johnson connected on one of two free throws on Augusta State's next possession, USC Aiken had a chance on its next possession to tie or take the lead with the game set at 47-45 with 36 seconds left in the contest. Kevin Willis (Atlanta, Ga./Kaskaskia) would be called for a charge on USC Aiken's offensive possession, but Augusta State's Tye Beal would turn the basketball right back over to the Pacers with 17 seconds left on a double dribble call by the officiating crew.
Council was fouled on USC Aiken's next offensive possession. He connected on both free throws to tie the game at 47-47 with 17 seconds remaining.
Augusta State's Franck Ndongo missed a jumper at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.
Augusta State opened the extra frame on a 6-2 run, but with just under a minute left Nelson had hit a mid-range jumper from the right side to pull the Pacers within two at 53-51.
The Pacers would not be able to get any closer in the end with the Jaguars collecting the four-point victory.
USC Aiken concluded the game shooting 32.8 percent (21 of 64) as a team. Augusta State did not shoot much better as a squad at 37.2 percent (16 for 43).
The Pacers outrebounded Augusta State 46-34 in the game with USC Aiken acquiring 20 of its 46 rebounds on the offensive glass. Augusta State had only six offensive boards in the game.
Only one Pacer was able to secure double figures in points with Council finishing with 14.
Two Pacers recorded double figures in rebounds with Willis and Brown both collecting double-digit outputs in rebounds. Willis finished with 12 rebounds, including five offensive caroms. Brown had 11 rebounds and obtained three of his 11 boards on the offensive glass.
The reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, Brown ended his evening with two blocks as well.
The Jaguars had two in double figures with Ndongo leading all scorers in the game with 16. Johnson chimed in with 13 for the Jaguars. All of his field goals came from beyond the arc.
USC Aiken will next play host to Augusta State at 7:30 p.m. at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Feb. 2. The contest is the second game of a Peach Belt Conference men's and women's basketball doubleheader at the Convocation Center with the 17th-ranked USC Aiken women taking on the Augusta State women prior to the men's game at 5:30 p.m.
Both of the games will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com.
