AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team opened a 26-point first-half lead en route to an 87-72 victory over Armstrong State Saturday evening.

The Pacers are now 6-6 on the season, including a 2-1 mark against Peach Belt Conference foes. The Pirates are now 4-7 overall, including a 2-2 effort against league foes.

Rookie Emry Tsitouris led the way with a team-high 19 points while also snagging seven rebounds. Amaura Brandt connected for 17 markers while Mariah Durian hit double figures with 15 points. Senior Mackenzie Reese narrowly missed a double-double as she posted nine points and 16 rebounds while chipping in a game-high five assists.

Head coach Mike Brandt's team jumped out to an early 10-0 lead behind solid team play. Tsitouris netted the first two points of the contest and Brandt followed it up with a deep three-point shot. Tsitouris canned another lay-up and Brandt's three-pointer with 17:51 to go pushed the margin to 10.

The Pacers widened the lead to 21 with 10:18 to go when Brandt hit another three-pointer from the wing. After a foul shot by the Pirates, Mariah Durian connected on a three-pointer at the 9:05 mark.

On USC Aiken's next possession, the squad registered seven straight offensive rebounds before Durian's lay-up made it a 34-9 game with 7:22 to play prior to the half.

The Pacers' largest lead of the half came when Kate Duff netted a free throw for a 35-9 advantage. The Pirates held USC Aiken to just two points over the final 2:16 while making it a 44-24 game at the break.

In the second half, Brandt's team opened a 27-point advantage when Reese converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 17:58 to go.

Armstrong State managed to trim the deficit to 17 with 11:46 to go, but Jasmine Coach took a backdoor pass from Reese for an easy basket. A pair of charity tosses by Reese pushed the lead back to 21 with 10:42 to play.

The Pirates went on a spurt near the end of the game, trimming USC Aiken's lead to 12 on three different occasions, but Brandt's squad never wavered, keeping the visitors at bay. A pair of free throws by Tsitouris and one by Katelyn Grisillo finished the scoring with just 21 seconds left in the contest.

For the game, USC Aiken drained 43.2 percent of its shots from the floor (32-of-74). The squad out-rebounded the Pirates 56-36, including a 26-15 effort on the offensive glass.

The 26 offensive rebounds led the Pacers to a 24-7 advantage in second-chance points. USC Aiken dominated the paint, outscoring the visitors 42-20.

The Pacers return to action Monday at 5:30 p.m., when they host Flagler in a Peach Belt Conference contest.