FLORENCE, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team dropped a 75-57 contest at Francis Marion Wednesday evening.
The Pacers are now 8-5 overall and 4-3 in PBC action. The Patriots are 6-3 on the year and 3-2 against league foes.
Head coach
Mark Miller's team was led by
Grace Crawford's team-high 11 points.
Star Toomey tallied nine points and six rebounds while
Kwajelin Farrar accounted for seven points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
Alex Canady and
Kanna Suzuki added six points apiece while
Kyrie' Chandler chipped in five markers.
USC Aiken jumped on top of FMU at the start of the game with a bucket by Canady. The Pacers led 5-2 on a three-point shot from Crawford. Chandler pushed the margin to 8-2 on a shot from downtown just 2:05 into the game. However, FMU went on a 16-0 spurt before Farrar broke the scoring drought with 1:29 to play in the opening stanza.
Melyk Taouil's jumper made it a 20-11 game heading into the second quarter.
Sade Johnson hit a three-point shot, making it 20-14. Trailing 22-16, Taouil found
Phenicia Howard for a lay-up. Taouil hit Toomey for a lay-up and Crawford drilled another shot from distance for a 23-22 lead at the 4:55 mark, but the Patriots managed to take a 38-29 lead into halftime.
Toomey brought the visitors within seven early in the third frame. After FMU made it a 10-point contest, Farrar grabbed a board and hit a lay-up, slicing the deficit to eight at 41-33. However, the Patriots scored 10 straight before Farrar hit an inside shot at the 3:14 mark of the third quarter. USC Aiken continued to battle, but was unable to get any closer the rest of the way.
For the game, USC Aiken hit 22-of-55 (40.0 percent) from the floor, including eight-of-19 (42.1 percent) from downtown. The Pacers pulled down 41 rebounds compared to 32 by the home squad. Miller's team dished out 15 assists and swatted six shots. USC Aiken held a 19-8 advantage in points off the bench. The squad also registered 15 second-chance points compared to 11 by the home team.
The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at North Georgia at 1:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
