AUGUSTA, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team lost a hard-fought 71-69 decision at Augusta Monday evening in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

The Pacers are now 14-6 overall, including an 8-5 mark in league play. The Jaguars improve to 16-4 on the year and 9-3 against conference competition.

Henry Bolton III led the way with 18 points. Jalin Barnes tallied 16 points while Christian Nobles chipped in for 10 markers. Robert Hill posted nine points and five boards.

USC Aiken trailed for much of the night, but made it a tightly contested, intense game in the second half. Down 6-0, Henry Bolton III buried a three-ball off a pass from Nobles. After a basket by the home team, the Pacers answered when Barnes slashed through the defense for a lay-up.

Trailing 18-9, Nenad Milenkovic was fouled on a three-point shot. He made one of the charity tosses. On the ensuing possession, Matthews drilled a shot from downtown off a pass from Austin Grimes to pull within five, 18-13.

The Jaguars managed to extend their lead to 12 at 29-17, but Bolton III hit a pair of free throws to cut it to a 29-19 game. He followed it up with a shot from behind the arc to slice the deficit to 29-22 with 1:18 to play in the half. However, the only other basket came via the home squad for a 32-22 halftime score.

The Pacers netted 18 of the first 26 points of the second half to knot the contest at 40-40. During the opening moments, the Jaguars took a 36-22 lead, but Barnes nailed a three-ball to slice into the deficit.

Trailing by 10, Faison Brock made a lay-up, pulling USC Aiken within eight at 39-31. AU made a free throw, but Nobles hit a jumper to make it a 40-33 game. Nobles hit a shot in the lane and Barnes found the bottom of the net from behind the three-point stripe, making it a 40-38 contest with 12:01 on the clock.

Matthews stole the ball and Bolton III made a jumper, tying the score at 40-40. The teams traded baskets for a 42-42 game. However, the Jaguars embarked on a 7-0 spurt for a 49-42 score.

USC Aiken would make it a close game, pulling within two at 51-49 on a three-ball from Matthews, but the Jaguars extended their lead to eight with under two minutes to play.

After an offensive rebound, Bolton III connected on a three-point shot, making it a 66-61 game with 1:05 to play. Keshun Sherrill was whistled for a foul, giving the ball back to USC Aiken. The Pacers worked the ball around and Bolton III buried another deep three-point shot to make it a two-point contest with 39 seconds to go.

A wild scramble for the ball came after an errant pass by the Jaguars, but the home team came up with it. USC Aiken was forced to foul and the Jaguars made both free throws, pushing the score to 68-64 with 27 seconds left.

Robert Hill collected a loose ball under the basket and hit a lay-up, pulling Vanderslice's team within two at 68-66 with 11.7 seconds remaining. The Pacers were forced to foul and AU made the first charity toss. After a miss, the Jaguars got the rebound and were fouled again with the score at 69-66.

USC Aiken worked the ball around and Barnes nailed a step-back three-ball to make it a 70-69 game, but the visitors had to foul with one second to play. AU hit the first free throw for the 71-69 final margin.

For the game, the Pacers hit 23-of-65 from the floor (35.4 percent), including 11-of-30 from behind the three-point stripe (36.7 percent). USC Aiken buried 12-of-16 from the charity stripe.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Francis Marion at 3:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.