AUGUSTA, Ga. – The nationally 13^th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team erased a halftime deficit to pick up a hard fought, 68-63, victory over rival Augusta State on Wednesday evening at the Christenberry Fieldhouse.

USC Aiken (20-3, 13-2 PBC) claimed its 20^th win of the year in its victory over Augusta State. The Pacers have now claimed 20 or more wins in five of the last six seasons.

The Pacers have also now won six straight over Augusta State (11-13, 6-10 PBC).

Augusta State opened the game by obtaining a five-point 15-10 lead through the first 11 minutes of the game. The Pacers hit just 18 percent (3-for-16) of their shot attempts over the time frame.

The Jaguars would eventually go ahead by as many as 10 in the first half at 20-10, but USC Aiken closed the half on a 13-7 run to sit behind just four at 27-23 at the halftime break.

The Pacers would finish the first half hitting 30.8 percent (8-for-26) of its shot attempts. Augusta State, behind 50 percent (4-for-8) shooting beyond the arc in the first stanza, shot 41.7 percent (10-for-24) as a team in the first half.

Hannah DeGraffinreed scored 10 points to pace USC Aiken in the first half. She scored USC Aiken's first seven points of the game.

Amber Peterson of Augusta State was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first half to lead all players in the first half with 14 points. She also added two free throws.

USC Aiken commenced the second half on a 10-6 run to tie the game at 33-all just three and a half minutes into the frame.

USC Aiken then proceeded to score seven of the next nine points in the contest to own a 40-35 lead in the contest. The five-point lead by USC Aiken was buoyed by a 15-2 run by the Pacers that came after USC Aiken had gone down by eight in the contest at 33-25 with 18:01 left in the game.

The Pacers were up by four at 51-47 by the second media time out of the second half. USC Aiken opened the first nine and a half minutes of the second stanza shooting 71.4 percent (10-for-14) as a team.

From there, USC Aiken would hold on for its eventual five-point win.

USC Aiken, which finished the second half shooting 56.5 percent (13-for-23) as a team, concluded Wednesday's victory over Augusta State shooting 42.9 percent (21-for-49).

Augusta State ended its loss to the Pacers shooting 44.9 percent (22-for-49) as a team.

Three Pacers ended their efforts in double figures with Daniela Tarailo (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) leading the way with a game-high tying 14 points. She also had five rebounds.

DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack College) finished the game with 12 points and six rebounds, while Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield)chipped in with 10 points. She scored all 10 of her points in the second half.

Brittany Hill (Mechanicsville, Va./Quinnipiac) did not finish in double figures in the game, but she did manage to dish out six assists to go along with her eight points, three steals and three rebounds.

Augusta State also had three players in double figures with Peterson leading the way with her 14 points. She was held scoreless by the Pacers in the second half.

USC Aiken, which is one game behind Lander (19-4, 14-1 PBC) in the PBC East Division standings, will next welcome the nationally 18^th-ranked Bearcats to the Convocation Center for another top-20 showdown at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. 

The contest will be a part of USC Aiken's Homecoming celebration.