AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team completed the 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic with a perfect 2-0 record after an 81-62 win over Virginia Union on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

The victory improves USC Aiken to 8-1 (2-0 PBC) on the 2011-12 season. The Pacers enter their holiday break owning a seven-game winning streak.

USC Aiken concluded its win over Virginia Union on Saturday afternoon shooting 45.3 percent (29-for-64) as a team. Virginia Union shot 42 percent (21-for-50) as a team.

The Pacers were strong from beyond the arc in the game, connecting on eight of their 18 attempts (44.4 percent).

Both teams were stout at the charity stripe. USC Aiken finished the game hitting 15 of its 19 attempts (78.9 percent), while Virginia Union hit 17 of its 21 free throw attempts (81 percent) in the contest.

The tenacious Pacer defense forced Virginia Union into 26 turnovers in the game with USC Aiken scoring 36 points off the turnovers.

The 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic Most Valuable Player, Re'mon Nelson (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) led the Pacers in the win over Virginia Union with 17 points. Nelson was 5-for-11 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. He also had four assists and four steals.

Three Pacers finished in double figures in total with Ronald Zimmerman (14) and Maurice Hubbard (10) also notching double figures. Zimmerman (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) hit four 3-pointers in the game en route to his 14 points.

Hubbard (Centreville,Va./Ball State) concluded the win over Virginia Union with 10 points and five rebounds, which included four offensive boards. He also had three assists, three steals and a block. He was named to the 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team for his efforts over the course of the two-day event. 

Two Virginia Union players were able to record double figures with Juan Richards leading the way with 12 points and seven rebounds. Damion Harris, who was chosen to the 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team, ended his evening just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.

The game was close for the opening 12 minutes with the Pacers ahead just one at 24-23 with 7:45 remaining in the first stanza. USC Aiken would close the half on a 17-9 run to take a 41-32 lead into intermission. 

The Pacers were never really troubled in the second half, going ahead by as many as 26 at 81-55 with 1:07 left in the contest.

The Pacers will next return from their holiday break for their second straight contest against Virginia Union in Richmond, Va. on Friday, Dec. 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

In the other game on the day at the 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic, Lenoir-Rhyne downed Elizabeth City State, 67-61. The Bears like USC Aiken were a perfect 2-0 in the 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic 

For more information on the 2011 Southeastern Tool-Don Cheeks-Dr. John Riley USC Aiken Pre-Holiday Classic, please visit the official tournament website at: http://www.pacersports.com/sports/mbkb/2011-12/Releases/preholidayclassic