LILBURN, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team dropped to 12th in the 11th 2012-13 regular-season USA Today Division II top-25 Coaches' Poll.
The ranking of 12th marks the first time in the 2012-13 season that the Pacers have not been ranked in the top-10.
The Pacers had been ranked fifth in the preseason and first regular-season poll. In the second regular-season poll, USC Aiken moved up to fourth before claiming the ranking of third in the third regular-season poll. The Pacers had been ranked a program-best third in the fourth and fifth regular-season polls before dropping one spot to fourth in the sixth regular-season poll. In the seventh regular-season poll, USC Aiken had moved back up to third.
The Pacers had dropped to sixth in the eighth regular-season poll. USC Aiken then remained sixth in the ninth regular-season poll. In the 10th regular-season tally, USC Aiken had moved back up to fifth.
Since being ranked for the first time in the 2010-11 season on Dec. 14, 2010, USC Aiken has now been ranked in the top-25 in the last 39 polls (school-record). The Pacers have been ranked in the top-10 in each of the last three years.
USC Aiken is one of three Peach Belt Conference teams ranked in the top-25 with Clayton State presently ranked third. Augusta State is currently ranked 24th.
Ashland is ranked No. 1 in the latest poll. Bentley is ranked just behind in second.
USC Aiken enters the week with a record of 18-3 (11-3 PBC). The Peach Belt Conference East Division leaders have won five of their last six games. The Pacer women begin the week having won 28 of their last 29 regular-season home games.
USC Aiken will commence this week by staying on the road to face off against Peach Belt Conference foe Flagler in St. Augustine, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 14. Tip-off in the game is slated for 5:30 p.m.
After the Flagler doubleheader, USC Aiken will return home for its Homecoming game against Lander at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16.
The Homecoming contest is also the annual Play 4Kay game for USC Aiken. Play 4Kay is a global, unified effort for a nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund, in partnership with the WBCA and The V Foundation, is the official Play 4Kay charity.
USC Aiken women's basketball is encouraging any survivors or family members of breast cancer survivors in the USC Aiken system to come to be honored during the women's basketball game that evening. If you are a survivor and would like to be included on the list, please sign up prior to the women's basketball game at the Play 4Kay table in the Convocation Center lobby.
