JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team came up just short in a back-and-forth affair at Carson-Newman Saturday evening in the season-opening game, falling by a score of 68-67.

The Pacers are now 0-1 on the season.

Mackenzie Reese led the way for head coach Mike Brandt's team by registering a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kate Duff was the only other student-athlete in double figures for USC Aiken. She netted 11 markers off the bench before fouling out.

USC Aiken found itself trailing by nine with just under 12 minutes to play in the first half, but fought back to take the lead at 18-17 on Mariah Durian's jumper. Trailing by three with just under a minute to go in the first half, Stephanie Ball drained a shot off a pass from Carly Gilreath, making it a 31-30 contest at the intermission.

After the Eagles opened the second half with a jumper, Kassy Johannsen and Katelyn Grisillo made back-to-back shots, giving the Pacers a 34-33 lead.

The squads battled back-and-forth and Reese converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 8:54 mark for a 51-46 advantage.

With the score tied at 65, Reese connected on a lay-up off a pass from Duff for a 67-65 lead, but the Eagles made a free throw with 45 ticks left in the game to make it a one-point contest.

USC Aiken was whistled for a foul with eight seconds remaining and Carson-Newman drained both attempts for the winning margin. After a time-out, the Pacers broke the press and got off a shot at the buzzer that narrowly missed as the team fell by the 68-67 score.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 21-of-63 shots (33.3 percent) from the floor, including five-of-18 (27.8 percent) from behind the three-point stripe. The squad was solid at the charity line, canning 20-of-24 (83.3 percent).

Brandt's team held a 39-37 edge in rebounds, including a 19-14 margin on the offensive glass. USC Aiken forced three more turnovers than it committed and scored 26 points off 16 miscues by the Eagles.  

The Pacers return to action tomorrow afternoon when they square off with Lincoln Memorial at 1 p.m.