MORROW, Ga.  – Behind four players in double figures the nationally eighth-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team earned its first NCAA Division II Tournament victory in school history in a 69-66 win over defending regional champion Tusculum on Friday afternoon at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

The third seed in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, USC Aiken (27-5) held off a strong second half charge from regionally sixth-seeded Tusculum (21-9) to procure the victory.

Making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament (2002, 2005, 2009 and 2011), the Pacers had entered Friday's regional opener against Tusculum 0-3 in NCA Tournament games.

USC Aiken's regional win over Tusculum extended its school record win total to 27 games and left the Pacers having won 22 of their last 25 outings.

The Pacer victory on Friday afternoon was a tale of two halves.

USC Aiken shot 42 percent from the floor while holding the Pioneers to 28 percent shooting in the first half to own a nine-point advantage at intermission at 30-21.

Tusculum came out scorching the nets in the second half, hitting 83 percent of their attempts from the field over the first eight minutes of play in the second stanza.

The Pioneers' hot shooting over the course of the majority of the second half had pulled the game even at 58-58 with 3:10 remaining.

On USC Aiken's next offensive possession after Tusculum evened things up the Pacers pulled ahead by two after a Hannah DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack) lay-up.

USC Aiken would never look back after DeGraffinreed's lay-up, but Tusculum would put pressure on the Pacers in the final seconds of the game by pulling to within one at 64-63 with 30 seconds remaining.

Deandra Schirmer (Holton, Kan./Cloud County CC) would come through for the Pacers next by knocking down two free throws to set the score at 66-63 with 28 seconds remaining.

DeGraffinreed would then hit one of two free throws to pull the Pacers ahead by four at 67-63. USC Aiken would break away from Tusculum trying to foul them in the final seconds next with Nakia Pinkney (Orangeburg, S.C./Orangeburg-Wilkinson) breaking away for a lay-up to give the Pacers a six-point lead at 69-63.

Jasmine Gunn would hit a three-pointer at the final buzzer for Tusculum to end the game at 69-66 in USC Aiken's favor.

USC Aiken finished Friday's regional win shooting 42.4 percent (25 for 59) as a team. Tusculum hit 41.5 percent (22 for 53) of their shot attempts.

Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) was the leading scorer for the Pacers with 17 points.

DeGraffinreed had 16 points and eight rebounds for USC Aiken, while Schirmer and Pinkney both ended their days with 12 points each.

Gunn led the Pioneers with a game-high 20 points.

USC Aiken advances to the semifinals of the 2011 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional where they will square off against national No. 6 and regional No. 2 Lander at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 at the Athletics & Fitness Center.