AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team lost a 77-65 contest to Lander Saturday evening in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

The Pacers are now 9-14 overall and 4-10 against league foes while the Bearcats improve to 17-6 overall and 11-3 against conference competition.

Head coach Mike Brandt's team was led by Stephanie Ball and Kassy Johannsen, who shared game-high honors with 16 points apiece. Johannsen totaled a team-best eight boards to go along with a game-high three blocks. Mariah Durian came off the bench to score 11 to go along with her five rebounds.

Aubrey Lukacsko and Alexis Ware contributed six points apiece while Jasmine Coach and Kate Duff each had five points.

After being outscored 21-13 in the opening quarter, USC Aiken went to work in the second frame. Ball drained a three-pointer off a pass from Durian, slicing the lead to five at 21-16. Although the Bearcats extended the margin to 15, Brandt's team battled back. Duff and Coach hit back-to-back jumpers and Ware's three-pointer made it a 31-23 game, forcing a time-out by the visitors. The Pacers pulled within seven at the break after five straight points by the home team in the final 12 seconds of the half.

USC Aiken outscored the Bearcats in the third stanza, pulling within two with 4:15 to play. Trailing 46-39, Johannsen hit a jumper and Ball drained a three-pointer. A shot from downtown with one second to go in the frame by Coach pulled the Pacers within five, 55-50.

Brandt's team carried the momentum into the fourth quarter. Down by four, Durian and Johannsen buried back-to-back shots, knotting the contest at 59-59 with 6:06 to play. After a brief run by the visitors that made it a six-point contest, Durian's three-ball sliced the deficit to three, 65-62, at the 3:58 mark.

After the time-out, however, Lander outscored the Pacers 12-3.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 24-of-57 from the field (42.1 percent), including 11-of-24 from the three-point stripe (45.8 percent). The squad got to the line eight times, hitting six attempts.

The difference came in the turnover battle as the Bearcats converted 24 miscues into 32 points while Lander committed 12 turnovers and the Pacers accounted for four points.

The Pacers return to action Wednesday when they host Clayton State at 5:30 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available at PacerSports.com.