Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – Behind a balanced attack that featured six players in double-figures, the University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team rolled to a 92-72 victory over Voorhees in its regular-season opener at the Convocation Center on Tuesday evening.
The win by the Pacers garnered eighth-year head men's basketball coach Vince Alexander his 126th win as the Pacer mentor. The 126 wins give Alexander sole possession of second all-time in Pacer history for total wins. He is now just four wins away from surpassing Larry Epperley (1987-97) for the most wins in Pacer men's basketball history.
USC Aiken (1-0) led from start-to-finish in the victory over Voorhees (5-2).
The Pacers closed out the win over the Tigers hitting 45.2 percent (28-for-62) of their shots as a team. Voorhees connected upon 41.1 percent (23-for-56) of its shot attempts in the game.
The Pacers shot 83.3 percent (25-for-30) from the free throw line in their win.
Paul Larsen (Mooresville, N.C./Mercer) led the Pacers in the 20-point victory with a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He claimed five of his 10 rebounds on the offensive glass. Larsen, who was 6-of-9 from the field, also had two blocks in the contest.
Kinley Branch (Stone Mountain, Ga./Arkansas State) was the top scorer for the Pacers in the game with 19 points. He was 7-for-12 from the floor.
Jesse Seilern (Innsbruck, Austria/Kapfenberg HS) finished the win over Voorhees with 16 points. He was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the game.
DeVontae Wright (Goose Creek, S.C./The Citadel) closed out the win over the Tigers with 15 points, four assists and four steals.
Ronald Zimmerman (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley HS) ended his evening with 12 points for the Pacers. He also had three steals.
Re'mon Nelson (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester HS) was the final Pacer in double-figures with 10 points. Nelson just missed on a double-double of his own as he also had eight assists.
Santoine Butler (Augusta, Ga./Gardner-Webb) ended the win over Voorhees for USC Aiken with eight rebounds and two blocks.
Brandon Allen was the top scorer for Voorhees, ending his evening with a game-high 26 points. He was 10-for-13 from the field.
USC Aiken and nationally 15th-ranked Winston-Salem State will next meet for the first time ever on the hardwood. The Pacers and Rams will contest their first-ever meeting against one another at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 19 at the Convocation Center. Nine days later, the two will meet again when the Pacers travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. to tangle with the Rams at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28.
