AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team utilized a strong team defensive effort to knock off national No. 10 Benedict, 83-71, on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

The win over the 10^th-ranked Tigers improves USC Aiken to 7-3 against ranked foes in the last three years.  USC Aiken was 3-2 against ranked foes in the 2009-10 season. Last year, USC Aiken went 3-1 against ranked opposition. This season, the Pacers are now 1-0 against top 25 opponents.

USC Aiken concluded its 12-point win over No. 10 Benedict out-rebounding the Tigers 43-24. The Pacers claimed almost half of their boards on the offensive glass.

Benedict was forced into 16 turnovers by the Pacers in the contest with the Pacers scoring 27 points off the Tiger miscues.

The Pacers finished the game shooting 46.3 percent (31-for-67) as a team. Benedict shot 54 percent (27-for-50) as a team, but took 17 fewer shots than the Pacers in the game. USC Aiken shot 42.9 percent (6-for-14) from beyond the arc in the game.

USC Aiken recorded an assist on 18 of its 31 field goals in the game.

USC Aiken had five players in double figures in total with Joel Gierbolini (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Long Island) and Chase Holmes (Chesnee, S.C./Presbyterian) leading the way with 12 points. Gierbolini also had eight boards.

Holmes collected six caroms to go along with his 12 points. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.

Sterling Council (Camden, S.C./Camden) acquired 11 points and three assists in the game. He was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. 

Maurice Hubbard (Centreville,Va. /Ball State) and Terrance Dent (Laramie, Wy./Laramie CC) both concluded USC Aiken's win with 10 points each. 

Jesse Seilern (Innsbruck, Austria/Kapfenberg) missed out on double figures in the game, but he did manage nine points and nine rebounds. He collected six of his nine rebounds on the offensive glass.

USC Aiken point guard Re'mon Nelson (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) finished with five assists and a game-high four steals. 

Four Benedict players finished in double figures with All-America candidate Marcus Goode leading the way with 21 points, six rebounds and five blocks. He also had three assists. He was 10-for-18 from the field in the game.

USC Aiken basically led from start-to-finish in the game with Benedict holding its only lead of the contest less than two minutes into the game. 

The Pacers would go up by as many as 18 in the second half.

USC Aiken will focus on exams this week. The Pacers will next take the hardwood against Peach Belt Conference foe Flagler at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10.