COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team dropped a 62-49 contest at No. 15 Columbus State Saturday afternoon in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

The Pacers are now 5-6 on the season, including an 0-2 mark against league foes. The Cougars improve to 7-1 on the season and 2-0 against conference competition.

Head coach Mike Brandt's team was led by the dyad of Jasmine Coach and Kassy Johannsen, who each tallied 10 points. Johannsen notched a double-double performance by grabbing 10 rebounds. For good measure, she added three steals while adding a block. Coach accounted for seven rebounds and three assists.

Alexis Ware came off the bench to net eight points, including six off three-point shots. Stephanie Ball added six points and a pair of steals while Rachelle Aupont and Katelyn Grisillo each posted four points. Grisillo dished out a game-high five assists while also burying both of her field goal attempts.

USC Aiken trailed 11-5 with 2:56 to play in the first quarter, but Brandt's team bounced back. Coach and Durian buried back-to-back jumpers, pulling the team within two at 11-9 with 1:15 to go in the stanza. Johannsen rattled home the next four points including one on a lay-up as time was about to expire in the quarter as the team took a 13-11 lead at the break.

The Pacers maintained a 17-13 advantage when Coach connected on a jumper at the 7:53 mark before halftime. The Cougars, however, went on a 16-4 run before Coach's jumper off a pass from Kate Duff with 10 seconds before the break, making it 29-23 heading into the third quarter.

Stephanie Ball's three-point shot made it 31-28 just 1:09 into the third frame, but the home team managed to score the next 12 points, taking a 43-28 lead at the 5:45 mark.

Trailing 48-32, Grisillo netted her second field goal of t the game off a pass from Aubrey Lukackso, sparking a run by the visitors. Johannsen and Ware hit back—to-back shots, pulling the Pacers within 10 with 64 seconds to play in the third. Ware hit a three-point shot, pulling the team within seven before the Pacers entered the fourth with the score at 50-41.

Ware opened the final stanza with another three-pointer and Duff made the second of two free throws, pulling the team within five at 50-45 with 7:47 to play. The team was unable to get any closer the rest of the way.

The Pacers return to action Jan. 2 when they play at Armstrong State at 1:30 p.m.