AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team knocked off Francis Marion 78-72 in a key PBC contest.

The Pacers are now 6-3 on the season and 3-2 in league play. The Patriots fall to 8-2 overall and 3-2 against conference foes.

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Markus Terry's game-high 24 points. He also snagged seven rebounds.

Henry Bolton III accounted for 17 points while Faison Brock totaled a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Doniel Dean chipped in 10 points before fouling out while Paris Ballinger accounted for eight markers.

Robert Hill swatted away five of the team's nine blocks in the win.

In the opening half, the teams played an up-tempo style and it turned out to be a back-and-forth affair. A basket by Brock gave the Pacers a 14-10 lead with 14:04 to play, but the visitors rattled off five straight points for a 15-14 edge. 

Vanderslice's team built a 31-23 advantage thanks in part to an 8-0 run. During the spurt, Terry hit a pair of free throws, tipped in a shot and Doniel Dean added a jumper. Terry's jumper gave the home team the eight-point edge. Moments later, the Pacers pushed the lead to nine on two charity tosses from Bolton III at 36-27. Leading 37-34, Kyle Tackeberry grabbed an offensive rebound and found Paris Ballinger for a lay-up at the buzzer and a 39-34 halftime margin.

FMU pulled within four at 45-41 early in the second stanza, but Bolton III buried a three-ball and Hill took a pass from Dean and slammed it home for a nine-point margin.

USC Aiken extended its lead to 12, but the Patriots cut it to five with 5:45 to play. However, the Pacers kept the visitors at bay en route to the six-point win.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 29-of-56 (51.8 percent) from the floor. The squad held a 44-40 advantage in the paint and converted 12 turnovers into 16 points.

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