Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – The nationally 14th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team won its 10th straight game in a 68-47 Peach Belt Conference victory over Columbus State on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
The 10-game winning streak ties for the most consecutive wins under 10th-year head coach Mike Brandt. The Pacers last won 10 straight games under Brandt last season (Nov. 29, 2010-Jan. 12, 2011).
The current 10-game winning streak places the Pacers just one win away from tying the school record for most wins in a row, which is 11 (Nov. 20, 2001-Jan. 16, 2002).
The Pacers led from start-to-finish in the win over Columbus State with USC Aiken entering intermission with a 42-18 lead.
USC Aiken (11-1, 4-0 PBC) extended its lead to as many as 27 early in the second half before garnering the 21-point league victory.
The Pacers finished the win over the Cougars shooting 43.9 percent (25-for-57) as a team. USC Aiken shot a scorching 55.2 percent (16-for-29) in the first half.
The stout Pacer defense once again proved to be too strong for their opponent as Columbus State (7-6, 2-2 PBC) hit just 34.6 percent (18-for-52) of its shots as a team.
The Pacers forced Columbus State into 16 turnovers in the game and benefitted greatly by converting the Cougar miscues into 18 points.
USC Aiken is also now 16-0 over the last two seasons when holding its foes to under 50 points after the 68-47 win over Columbus State.
Three Pacers finished in double figures in the game with Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) leading the way with her second 20 or more points effort of the 2011-12 regular season. Harris ended the game with 21 points. She was 8-for-12 from the field in the game.
Hannah DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack College) concluded the win over Columbus State with 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
The final Pacer in double figures, Daniela Tarailo (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) claimed 10 points in the Pacer win.
Pacer point guard Brittany Hill (Mechanicsville, Va./Quinnipiac) did not acquire double figures in scoring, but the do-everything guard did manage six assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block.
Columbus State had two players finish in double figures in the game with Dominique Gilbert leading the way with 16 points and six rebounds.
USC Aiken will next play its annual league game against Georgia College at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14. Two days later, USC Aiken will play the first of its two games in the 2011-12 season against rival Augusta State. The first of the two meetings between the rivals will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16 at the Convocation Center.
