MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State was able to acquire a 74-71 Peach Belt Conference victory over national No. 24 USC Aiken at the Athletics & Fitness Center on Saturday evening.

USC Aiken (15-4, 9-2 PBC) concluded its loss to Clayton State shooting 43.6 percent (24-for-55) as a team. The Pacers knocked down 70.8 percent (17-for-24) of its free throw attempts in the game.

Clayton State (12-6, 5-5 PBC) shot 47.3 percent (26-for-55) as a team in the game. The Lakers hit upon 48 percent (12-for-25) of their 3-point attempts in the game.

Ronald Zimmerman (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) led three Pacers in double figures in the game with 15 points. Zimmerman, who hit two 3-pointers in the contest, was 5-for-11 from the field in the Pacer loss.

Re'mon Nelson (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) concluded the narrow Pacer loss with 11 points, while Chase Holmes (Chesnee, S.C./Presbyterian) collected 10 points and five rebounds in the contest.

Anthony Salter with a game-high 21 points led three Lakers in double figures.

The Pacers opened the game by going ahead 6-3, but Clayton State then proceeded to go on a 12-4 run to own a 15-10 lead with 11:54 remaining in the first half action.

The Pacers would then go on a 16-11 spurt of their own to pull the game even at 26-all with just over five minutes left before intermission.

The score was even at 34-34 with under 90 seconds to play in the first half, but behind five points from Nelson, USC Aiken closed the first frame on a 7-2 run to take a 41-36 lead into the halftime break.

The Pacers commenced the first seven minutes of the second stanza by racing out to an eight-point 56-48 lead.

USC Aiken's lead was whittled down to 62-61 with just under nine minutes left in the game. The Pacers would then be held to just three points over the next almost seven minutes to sit behind by five at 70-65.

Joel Gierbolini (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Long Island) was able to thwart the Laker run by hitting a tough lay-up in the paint to pull the Pacers within three points at 70-67. Nelson then hit a shot a little while later to leave Clayton State up just one at 70-69 with under two minutes left.

The score 72-70 in Clayton State's favor with under 30 seconds left in the game, Gierbolini was fouled in the lane. He hit one of his two ensuing free throws to leave the Pacers behind by one at 72-71 with 17.4 seconds remaining in the contest.

After Clayton State missed a one-and-one opportunity on its next offensive possession, USC Aiken came down the court looking to take the lead. Nelson's mid-range jump shot just rimmed out and Clayton State was fouled in the act of claiming the defensive rebound.

Clayton State knocked down both of its next two free throws to set the score at 74-71 with six seconds to go in the contest.

Nelson's long-range 3-point attempt at the end of regulation would fall short next, leaving the Lakers with the narrow three-point win.

USC Aiken will have some time off before next traveling to Savannah, Ga. for a Peach Belt Conference contest with Armstrong Atlantic State at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.