FLORENCE, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team lost an 84-83 overtime contest at Francis Marion Saturday afternoon in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

The Pacers are now 3-14 on the season and 1-9 against conference competition. The Patriots improve to 11-7 overall and 4-6 against league foes.

Rookie Andrew Glover led the way with a team-best and career-high 18 points on a six-of-seven effort from downtown in 22 minutes of work. The six made three-point baskets were one off a top-10 single-game effort in school history.

Keith Belfield tallied 16 points while Arbry Butler notched 15 markers. Hendrix Emu and Jevon Patton each contributed 12 points while Tavares Sledge turned in a nine-point, 14-rebound, seven-assist performance in the loss.

USC Aiken connected on 30-of-64 shots from the floor (46.9 percent), including a 15-of-30 effort from downtown (50 percent). The 15 made there-point buckets were the third most in school history – and one shy of tying the school record.  

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team dished out 21 assists compared to 19 by the visitors. The Pacers tallied 15 second-chance points compared to 10 by the home squad. USC Aiken held a 28-26 advantage in the paint.

Vanderslice's squad jumped out to a 7-2 advantage just 2:42 into the contest. Emu took a pass from Sledge for the first basket of the game. Belfield buried a three-pointer for a 5-0 edge. After a basket by the home team, Butler nailed a jumper for a 7-2 margin.

The Patriots took an 8-7 lead, but the Pacers counted for a 20-13 advantage on a three-pointer by Glover off a pass from Belfield. Up by four, 28-24, Glover tickled the twine from downtown at the 6:02 mark. FMU answered with a lay-up, but Sledge beat the defense for an inside shot and a 33-26 edge. He then connected on a shot from behind the arc prior to Patton canning a jumper for a 38-26 lead with 4:24 to play in the half. Leading 38-28, Glover hit another shot from deep for the team's largest margin of the game. FMU pulled within four at the break, 41-37.

USC Aiken pushed its margin to eight on a three-pointer by Emu early in the second half. Although the Patriots pulled within one at 53-52, Gavin Stephenson made the first of two free throws for a two-point margin. FMU tied it at 54-54, but Vanderslice's squad answered with a 7-0 run thanks in part to a three-pointer by Glover and back-to-back lay-ups by Butler with 8:12 to go.

The Patriots took a 64-63 lead, but USC Aiken countered with a 4-0 spurt and maintained a 70-66 advantage after a deep shot from Patton.

USC Aiken held a 77-74 lead on a lay-up by Belfield with 1:55 to play, but was held scoreless at the end of regulation. The Patriots tied it on a free throw with 41 seconds to go, sending the contest into overtime.

Vanderslice's team took an 81-77 lead after four straight points by Butler, but FMU countered with five consecutive points. Butler answered with a lay-up at the 2:17 mark for an 83-82 lead. The Patriots tipped in a shot with 1:46 to play for an 84-83 advantage.

USC Aiken missed a pair of shots in the final 90 seconds and turned the ball over with two seconds to go, allowing the home team to squeak out a victory.

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