AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team registered a 52-49 come-from-behind victory over Johnson C. Smith Monday evening in a non-conference affair.

The Pacers improve to 4-1 on the year while the Golden Bulls are now 3-1 on the season.

Leading the way for head coach Mike Brandt's team was junior Rachelle Aupont, who connected for a game-high 16 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes of work.

Sophomore Emry Tsitouris netted her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes of action. Alexis Ware continued her solid start to the season with 10 markers.

Stephanie Ball registered a game-high four assists and tallied four steals. Kassy Johannsen was quiet offensively with just one point, but she was huge on the defensive end of the court with four blocks in addition to a pair of steals.

USC Aiken was outscored 29-16 through the first 20 minutes of action, but it did not deter the home team.

Ware came out of the break and netted the first two points of the quarter 1:41 into the period. The Pacers trailed by double figures until Aupont converted a lay-up, making it 31-22 with 6:51 to go in the third period.

Carly Gilreath's jumper pulled the squad within eight with 4:42 on the clock, but the visitors managed to stretch the lead to 14 with 57 seconds to go. Baylea Loven drained a pair of free throws with 21 seconds on the clock and Ware's jumper with two seconds to go in the quarter made it a 39-29 game.

After a jumper by the Golden Bulls to start the fourth period, Aupont hit a three-pointer off a pass from Ball, pulling the team within nine at 41-32. A free throw pushed the margin to 10, but Brandt's team went on a 7-0 spurt over a two-minute span, making the score 42-39. During the run, Aupont tallied four points and Tsitouris accounted for the other three markers.

USC Aiken tied the contest at 46-46 when Aupont hit a pair of charity tosses at the 2:08 mark. After a free throw by JCSU, Johannsen tied it by hitting the first of two free throws.

A jumper by the Golden Bulls made it 49-47 with 42 seconds to go, but Katelyn Grisillo was fouled and calmly converted both free throws, tying it at 49-49.

After a steal by Tsitouris, Ball was fouled and hit both free throws for a 51-49 advantage. Johannsen blocked a shot and Tsitouris grabbed the rebound prior to kicking it out to Aupont, who was fouled. She made a free throw with 18 seconds to play for the final margin.

For the game, USC Aiken converted 16-of-52 shots from the floor for 30.8 percent, including a four-for-24 effort from downtown (16.7 percent). The squad canned 16-of-21 from the charity stripe (76.2 percent).

Brandt's team converted 26 turnovers into 15 points.

The Pacers return to action Sunday at 1:30 p.m., when they host Florida Southern.