WILSON, N.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team lost an 86-77 decision at Barton Saturday afternoon in non-conference competition.

The Pacers are now 0-2 on the young season.

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was paced by Jevon Patton's game-high 25 points on nine-of-15 shooting. He also dished out a team-high five assists. Keith Belfield accounted for 17 markers to go along with his five rebounds.

Hendrix Emu accounted for nine points while Arbry Butler garnered eight points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Gavin Stephenson came off the bench to hit for eight points while also snagging five rebounds.

USC Aiken connected on 27-of-60 shots from the floor (45 percent), but the squad allowed the home team to hit 32-of-61 (52.5 percent). The Pacers nailed nine three-point buckets and drilled 14-of-19 shots from the charity stripe (73.7 percent).

Vanderslice's team held a 36-35 edge in rebounds, but committed 22 turnovers while forcing 16.

USC Aiken trailed 6-0 before Butler broke through with a lay-up at the 17:19 mark. After a three-point basket by the home squad, Belfield took a pass from Patton and hit a twisting lay-up. He was fouled and converted the free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play. Jordan Foster found Butler for a jumper, making it a 9-7 contest. However, that marked as close as the Pacers would come.

Barton went on a 13-4 run, taking a 22-11 lead with 10:50 to play in the half. USC Aiken pulled within 10 on a pair of occasions, but the Bulldogs extended the lead to 50-32 at the break.

Trailing by as many as 20 in the early going of the second period, Vanderslice's team began to make a comeback. Emu registered an old-fashioned three-point play and Patton nailed a jumper, making it 54-40 with 16:34 to go. Barton answered with an 11-4 run before the Pacers cut into the lead once again.

With 5:48 to play, Belfield found Patton for a three-point basket, making it 72-54.Belfield added back-to-back three-point baskets after one free throw by the home team, cutting the deficit to 13 at 73-60.

Patton's three-point shot with 38 ticks on the clock sliced the deficit to 10 at 80-70. However, USC Aiken managed just two more baskets by Emu in the waning seconds and could get no closer than nine.

The Pacers return to action Wednesday when they host Paine at 7:30 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available at PacerSports.com.