GREENWOOD, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team dropped an 80-66 contest to Carson-Newman Friday evening in the season opener.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Melyk Taouil's career-high 21 points on eight-of-13 shooting from the floor. She also snagged five boards and had five steals in the loss.

Kwajelin Farrar accounted for a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. She hit seven-of-12 from the floor and dished out a game-high four assists.

Newcomer Alexis Mack tallied eight points while Kanna Suzuki and Madison Williams totaled seven points apiece. Rookie Chesney Gardner accounted for six points and three rebounds.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 26-of-58 from the floor (44.8 percent). Miller's squad held a 10-8 edge on the offensive glass, resulting in a 12-4 advantage in second-chance points. The Pacers maintained a commanding 34-18 edge in the paint.

USC Aiken trailed 46-33 at the break, but Miller's team outscored the designated visitors 17-16 in the third quarter. Taouil's free throw in the early going sliced the deficit to nine, but the Eagles managed to take a 62-46 lead with just under two minutes to go in the frame. However, Farrar found Gardner to make it a 14-point contest. With just 13 seconds to play in the quarter, Taouil connected on a pass to Suzuki for a jumper, which pulled USC Aiken within 12 at 62-50 going into the fourth.

A three-point shot from Mack with 2:41 to go in the fourth made it a 72-62 game, but USC Aiken could get no closer the rest of the way.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow when they take on Lenoir-Rhyne in Greenwood, S.C., at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.