AIKEN, S.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team moved into a tie for first place in the Peach Belt Conference East Division with a 83-77 overtime victory over UNC Pembroke Saturday evening for Homecoming.

The Pacers are now 11-8 overall, including a 7-3 mark against conference competition. The Braves fall to 12-5 overall and 7-3 in league play.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was paced by Rachelle Aupont's game-high 21 points. She was a mere rebound away from a double-double performance. Kwajelin Farrar registered another double-double with 17 points to go along with 14 rebounds. Jasmine Coach accounted for her first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Melyk Taouil notched 10 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists.

Carly Gilreath tallied eight points and a game-high six assists while also playing a game-high 41 minutes.

After a back-and-forth affair in the opening minutes, Aupont buried a jumper at the 3:51 mark of the first quarter for a 10-9 advantage. The Braves countered with a quick score, but Jasmine Coach nailed a step-back jumper for a one-point edge. Aupont's next shot drilled a deep three-ball off a pass from Gilreath for a 15-11 advantage. Coach's shot with 51 seconds to play in the stanza made it a 17-11 game.

The Braves battled back as the teams were tied at 28, marking the sixth straight time it occurred in the half. Miller's squad rattled off the last four points of the period, including three from Alexis Ware, for a 32-28 lead at the break.

Leading 44-42, Ware netted a shot from downtown off a pass from Taouil with 2:27 to play in the third quarter. Gilreath pushed the score to 50-42 at the 1:08 mark. Although the Braves pulled within five, the home team still maintained a 52-46 edge heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, the squads went back-and-forth as the score was tied at 66-66, marking the 11^th time of the game the score was knotted. The Pacers took a four-point lead on a free throw with 47 seconds to play in regulation. UNC Pembroke managed to tie the game with six seconds to play on a three-point shot. USC Aiken was unable to get a shot off as the game went into overtime.

The Pacers netted the first two points of overtime, but the Braves canned a three-pointer for a 76-75 advantage. Trailing 77-75, Aupont tied the contest on a free throw. With the shot clock winding down and under a minute to play, Aupont worked her way across the court before hitting a step-back three-pointer.

After a stellar defensive stand, Taouil snagged a rebound and was fouled. She buried both foul shots, pushing the score to 82-77 with 12 seconds to go. Gilreath's free throw concluded the scoring with the six-point win.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 28-of-81 from the floor (34.6 percent), including five-of-28 from downtown (17.9 percent). The squad got to the foul line 33 times and hit 22 attempts (66.7 percent).

The Pacers out-rebounded the visitors 58-41, including 21-7 on the offensive glass. The 21 rebounds enabled the squad to convert 22 second-chance points. USC Aiken also maintained a 32-25 margin off the bench. Miller's team forced 15 turnovers and converted the miscues into 13 points. USC Aiken committed eight turnovers and held the Braves to just two points off the mistakes.

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