GREENWOOD, S.C. – The nationally 20^th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team fell 70-62 to Lander in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action on Wednesday evening at Horne Arena.

USC Aiken (16-5, 10-3 PBC) finished its loss to Lander shooting 43.4 percent (23-for-53) as a team. Lander (14-7, 7-6 PBC) shot 42.6 percent (23-for-54) as a team in its upset win over the Pacers.

Neither team was really able to hit the long-range shot in the game with the Pacers connecting upon just 25 percent (16 percent) of their 3-point attempts. The Pacers missed their first 11 3-point attempts before knocking down their first trey with 14:17 left in the game.

Lander hit just four of its 14 (28.6 percent) 3-point attempts in the game.

USC Aiken had just two players finish in double figures in the game with Sterling Council (Camden, S.C./Camden) and Terrance Dent (Laramie, Wy./Laramie CC) both posting 11. Council netted all 11 of his points in the first half.

Jermel Kennedy led three Bearcats in double figures with 25 points. Teammate Dwight Tolbert finished his evening with a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Lander opened the game by racing out to a 13-5 lead.

USC Aiken would then go on a 12-2 run to own a 17-15 lead after a fast break lay-up by Council with 9:24 still left in the first half of action.

Lander would eventually enter the halftime break clinging to a 30-28 lead.

The Pacers finished the first half shooting 44 percent (11-for-25) as a team.

Lander would go ahead by as many as 16 in the second half, but with under a minute to play in the contest the Pacers were trailing by just six points at 66-60.

That would be as close as the Pacers would be able to get with Lander holding on for the eight-point win.

USC Aiken will next welcome UNC Pembroke to the Convocation Center.

The men's and women's basketball doubleheader against UNC Pembroke on Saturday, Feb. 11 is slated to get underway at 5:30 p.m. with the nationally 15th-ranked Pacer women facing off against the UNC Pembroke women. The nationally 20th-ranked Pacer men will take the hardwood against the UNC Pembroke men immediately following the women's game at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The USC Aiken athletic department announced on Wednesday that it will be honoring Master Public Safety Officer Scotty Richardson and Master Corporal Sandy Rogers at halftime of the Pacer men's basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 11.

All those in attendance for the men's and women's basketball doubleheader that evening against UNC Pembroke will receive a ribbon in honor of the fallen officers.

All law enforcement individuals and their families will receive complimentary tickets to the doubleheader, as they will for the remaining three home doubleheaders on the Pacer basketball schedule (Feb. 11, Feb. 18 and Feb. 22).

All the law enforcement community (police, sheriff's department, firemen, highway patrol, etc.) needs to do is show their badge at the Convocation Center ticket window to claim their complimentary tickets for themselves and their families.