AIKEN, S.C. – The No. 5 University of
South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team led from start to
finish en route to an 84-73 victory over third-seeded Montevallo
Tuesday evening to earn a berth in the NCAA Division II Elite
Eight.
The Pacers improve to 32-3 on the season.
Leading the way for the victors was senior Jesse Seilern, who
accounted for a team-high 17 points. Paul Larsen accounted for 14
points and 12 rebounds for a double-double while Ronald Zimmerman
netted 14 markers. DeVontae Wright added 11 points to go along with
a game-best six assists.
USC Aiken limited the Falcons to 39.1 percent shooting from the
floor (25-of-64), including just three-of-14 (21.4 percent) from
downtown. Head coach Vince Alexander's team connected on 44.8
percent (26-of-58) from the floor. In spite of hitting just
five-of-15 from behind the three-point stripe, the squad managed to
get to the charity stripe 34 times – and connected on 27
attempts (79.4 percent).
The Pacers jumped out to a five-point edge just 1:19 into the game
as Larsen hit a lay-up and Seilern buried a three from the wing.
The squad pushed the advantage to nine at the 16:32 mark when
Seilern connected on another shot from deep.
Although the Falcons pulled within three with 12:14 to go in the
half, Alexander's team netted five straight points –
all of which came from the right hand of Seilern – for a
20-12 lead at the second media time-out.
USC Aiken's lead reached double figures when Zimmerman hit a
three-pointer off a pass from Seilern at the 6:39 mark for a 30-19
edge. Although the lead dipped into single digits momentarily,
Zimmerman's second three of the game extended the point
spread to a dozen at 33-21. Alexander's team held the
double-digit advantage the rest of the half and took a 43-30 lead
into the break.
Montevallo managed to keep the score around 10 points in the early
going of the second half and eventually sliced the deficit to eight
when Troran Brown hit a lay-up at the 12:23 mark.
However, it was the last time that the Falcons would be that
close. Santoine Butler hit a jumper and Alvin Brown connected on an
inside shot for another bucket. Seilerns' two free throws
with 10:02 to play made it a 63-49 contest.
After Montevallo pulled within 10 once again, the Pacers turned up
the pressure. Grant Harris, who played outstanding defense on
Brown, the PBC Player of the Year, nailed a jumper from the wing
for a 15-point cushion with 5:48 to play.
The biggest lead of the second half came when Wright made a free
throw with 49 ticks left on the clock.
During the game, Wright scored his 1,000th career point
while Larsen's 12 rebounds catapulted him into first in the
USC Aiken record book for most rebounds in a single season (307).
Brown's three blocks increased the PBC and USC Aiken
single-season record for blocks in a season to 135. Wright's
39 minutes also allowed him to become the PBC's single-season
leader in minutes played with 1,272.
Wright was named the Southeast Regional MVP while Zimmerman and
Brown were named to the all-tournament team.
The Pacers will travel to Evansville, Ind., for the Elite Eight.
The squad will take on Chico State (25-7) in the National
Quarterfinals on March 26 at 9:30 EST.
