Box Score
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Ninth-year head coach Mike Brandt became the all-time wins leader in school history and Triahna Harris picked up a career-high 20 points in USC Aiken's 73-65 Peach Belt Conference victory over Armstrong Atlantic State at Alumni Arena Saturday evening.
Brandt is now 163-103 as the head coach of the USC Aiken women's basketball program. His 163rd win as the Pacer mentor helped him surpass former USC Aiken women's basketball all-time wins leader Gail Moody-Johnson (1986-98), who ended her career with a 162-173 record.
The achievement is the second major milestone of the year for Brandt. He picked up his 400th coaching victory earlier this season in a Pacer win over nationally-ranked Francis Marion at the Convocation Center on Dec. 1, 2010. He is now 416-232 in 21 seasons as a head coach.
The Pacer victory on Saturday evening also allowed USC Aiken to achieve its highest single season win total under Brandt. The Pacers are now 23-4 (15-2 PBC) on the 2010-11 season.
USC Aiken is now just one win away from tying the school record for most wins in a single season. The 1990-91 USC Aiken women's basketball team currently owns the school record for single season wins with 24.
The USC Aiken women's basketball team is presently in the midst of a seven-game winning streak. Overall, the Pacers are winners of 18 of their last 20 games.
The win over Armstrong Atlantic (8-16, 4-12 PBC) on Saturday sets up a showdown with national No. 2 Lander for the top spot in the PBC East Division at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at the Convocation Center in Aiken, S.C.
USC Aiken is currently one game behind Lander (25-1, 15-1 PBC) in the league standings, but a Pacer victory on Wednesday would tie for the division lead and give them the opportunity to capture the top seed in the division.
The Pacers never trailed in the victory over Armstrong Atlantic State on Saturday. The game was tied just once.
USC Aiken opened the game on a 6-0 run. Despite the strong start, the Pacers were up by just one at 15-14 with under 12 minutes to play in the first half.
It was at this juncture that the Pacers began to extend their lead, going up by as many as 15 points in the first half.
USC Aiken in total closed the first half on a 25-13 run to own a 13-point 40-27 lead at intermission.
The contest got a little tighter in the early going of the second half as the Pirates had pulled to within two at 44-42 with 14:45 left in the game.
USC Aiken was able to go on an 18-10 run over the next eight minutes to own a 10-point advantage once again at 62-52 with 6:36 remaining.
USC Aiken would not be able to keep the double-digit lead with Armstrong Atlantic State pulling to within two at 63-61 by the 2:39 mark of the second half. Just 30 seconds later, Armstrong Atlantic State had pulled even in the contest at 63-63.
Daniela Tarailo (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) earned USC Aiken the lead once again on its next offensive possession on a jumper. Shortly thereafter, Hannah DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack) had pulled the Pacers on top by four at 67-63 with 1:26 remaining on a jumper in the paint.
USC Aiken would not look back as the Pacers pulled away down the stretch for the eight-point victory.
The Pacers finished the game shooting 41 percent (25 for 61) as a team. The Pirates shot 53.7 percent (22 for 41) as a team in the game.
In the end, taking 20 less shot attempts from the field and turning the ball over 21 times would prove to Armstrong Atlantic's undoing despite its hot shooting. USC Aiken capitalized on the turnovers by scoring 24 points off the Pirate miscues. The turnovers also led to nine fast break points for USC Aiken.
Harris (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) was one of four Pacers in double figures with her career-best 20 points tying for game-high honors. Harris was 8 for 13 from the field in the contest. She was a perfect 4 for 4 from the charity stripe. The Pacer point guard also dished out five assists in the Pacer victory.
DeGraffinreed was not far behind Harris in total points with 15 of her own. She had six boards.
Tarailo and Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) were the final Pacers in double figures. Tarailo ended her night with 13 points, while Harris acquired 12.
Jazmin Walker led three Pirates in double figures with a game-high tying 20 points.
USC Aiken's regular season finale showdown against Lander at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Feb. 23 will serve as Senior Night for the Pacers.
It is the first game of a Peach Belt Conference men's and women's basketball doubleheader as the Pacer men will tangle with the Bearcat men following the women's game at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Both games of the doubleheader will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com.
