AIKEN, S.C. – A 59-point second half allowed the University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team to cruise to an 89-75 win over Benedict Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 4-4 on the young season.

Caleb Stewart poured in a career and game-high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor, including a four-of-seven effort from behind the three-point stripe. Dominic Early came up huge, rattling off another double-double performance with 20 points and 10 boards.

André Anthony and Jordan Foster each contributed 12 points for the shorthanded Pacers. Anthony distributed a game-best eight assists while Rashad Lewis accounted for six.

Albert Miller III notched seven points and Tyreece Brice totaled seven.

Although the Pacers jumped out to an 8-4 lead on a three-point shot by Miller III, Benedict fought back, taking a 9-8 lead. Trailing 11-10, Stewart buried a jumper, starting a 10-0 run for the home squad.

Foster canned back-to-back three-point shots off passes from Brice and Early, who promptly drained a pair of charity shots for the 20-11 advantage. USC Aiken took a double-digit lead at 22-12 when Andre Anthony found Early for a lay-up with 5:56 to go.

Benedict trimmed the margin to just two at the break with a late three-point play.

Head coach Vince Alexander's halftime speech was one for the ages as the Pacers came out on fire. The squad buried 20-of-29 shots in the final stanza (69 percent).

Leading 32-30, USC Aiken went on a 7-0 run. Anthony netted five quick points and Stewart converted a twisting lay-up for a 39-30 edge. The team pushed the margin to 10 on Stewart's three-ball, making it 42-32 at the 16:30 mark.

Benedict pulled within three at the 9:33 mark, but Brice answered with a three-point shot on a fast break off a pass from Lewis for a 57-51 margin. The deep shot from the wing provided the team with some momentum. Early cut through a pair of defenders for a lay-up and Stewart hit a driving shot at the 7:45 mark for a 10-point advantage.

Ahead by nine at 63-54, USC Aiken embarked on a 14-5 run to ice the contest. During the run, Stewart and Early hit a pair of charity tosses and Foster netted a lay-up off a pass from Lewis.

Stewart drained a three-pointer from the wing while Anthony added a pair of free throws.

Early's dunk off Anthony's lob with 1:45 to play pushed the margin to 20, 86-66.

For the game, USC Aiken led Benedict 38-26 in points in the paint. Alexander's team rattled home 31-of-58 shots (53.4 percent) and out-rebounded its opponent 34-25.

The Pacers return to action on Saturday, Dec. 13, when they host King at 3:30 p.m.