AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team lost a 74-67 decision to Georgia College Wednesday afternoon in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

The Pacers are now 6-4 on the year and 0-3 in league play. The Bobcats improve to 8-4 overall and 2-1 against conference competition.

Leading the way for head coach Mark Vanderslie's team was Henry Bolton III, who poured in 25 markers. He also dished out a team-best four assists. Bolton III drained eight-of-nine shots from the floor, including five-of-six from downtown. He was a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe.

Mark Matthews added 12 points to go along with a team-best eight rebounds. Christian Nobles contributed nine points, three assists and two steals. Jalin Barnes registered a team-high three thefts.

USC Aiken snagged an early 5-3 lead after a pair of charity tosses from Bolton III and increased it when Bolton III found Matthews for a runner in the lane at the 17:15 mark.

A Kevin Chuisseu lay-up off a pass from Matthews made it 9-5 and the teams traded the next two baskets, giving the Pacers an 11-7 advantage with 14:49 on the clock. With the score tied at 11-11, Matthews connected off a pass from Barnes for a 14-11 edge.

A 7-0 spurt by the Bobcats gave the visitors a 23-16 lead with 8:11 to play before half. Robert Hill sliced the deficit to five on a lay-up off a pass from Bolton III. A pair of free throws by Matthews at the 6:09 mark made it a one-point game, 25-24, in favor of the visitors. Trailing 29-26, Raheem Freeman sliced through the defense for a basket with 4:44 to play, but Georgia College went on a 9-0 run and ended up with a 43-32 lead at the break.

USC Aiken continued applying pressure and chipped away at the deficit. With just over four minutes to play, Nobles recorded a steal and converted the lay-up on a break, making it a 62-59 contest.

Nobles struck again, earning a steal and a lay-up to pull the home team within three, 66-63, with 1:39 to play. He converted an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a two-point game, but it was as close as the Pacers would come.  

For the game, USC Aiken hit 25-of-55 from the floor (45.5 percent), including seven-of-18 from downtown (38.9 percent).  

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