AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team picked up a 73-68 victory over Anderson Wednesday evening in a non-conference contest.

The Pacers are now 4-1 on the season while the Trojans fall to 3-4.

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Christian Nobles' game-high 23 points. Jalin Barnes accounted for 11 points while Henry Bolton III added 10. Mark Matthews narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 boards.

Bolton III led the way with a game-high four assists. Barnes accounted for a game-best three thefts.

For the game, USC Aiken canned 29-of-61 from the floor (47.5 percent). The Pacers nailed 11-of-16 from the charity stripe (68.8 percent).

Vanderslice's team held a 39-35 advantage on the boards. The squad controlled the paint, outscoring the visitors 44-32. USC Aiken forced 15 turnovers and converted the errors into 19 points. The Pacers got out on the break, tallying a 16-4 advantage on the break.

After going into the break tied at 32, Barnes and Nobles hit back-to-back shots to push the Pacers' lead to 10, 44-34. However, the Trojans battled back and eventually took a 58-54 lead with 7:15 to play.

The contest went back-and-forth until Nobles took over, converting a three-point play for a 65-62 lead with 3:41 to go. Barnes found Matthews for a lay-up at the 3:00 mark.

USC Aiken took a six-point edge when Nobles connected on another three-point play with 2:22 to play. Vanderslice's team saw its lead cut to three, 71-68, with 1:01 to go. However, a stellar defensive stand allowed Nobles to snag the rebound. He was fouled with two seconds left and converted the free throws for the final two points of the game.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they host Chowan at 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.