CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The No. 17 University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team dropped a 93-89 overtime contest to No. 16 Augusta in the NCAA Second Round.
The Pacers end the season with a 27-6 ledger.
Xzavier Barmore led the way with a game-high 24 points while
Ty'lik Evans added 22 in the loss.
Doniel Dean added 17 points while
Robert Hill totaled a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Evans added eight rebounds and six assists while Dean had three boards in their final collegiate game.
Faison Brock accounted for nine rebounds and a pair of steals.
USC Aiken trailed 6-2 in the early going, but a jumper by Dean knotted it at 8-8 at the 15:39 mark. Dean's two charity tosses at the 11:52 mark gave the Pacers a 17-10 edge. A three-ball from Evans extended the margin to double digits at 22-12 and Hill's dunk with 3:29 to play in the half pushed the score to 32-18 in favor of the designated visitors. After Augusta cut the lead to four at 32-28,
Kyle Tackeberry hit a three-point shot and Hill made a lay-up for a 37-28 halftime advantage.
A dunk from Dean off a pass from Barmore with 13:36 to go in regulation gave the Pacers a 51-36 lead. Moments later, another bucket from Dean pushed the margin to 21.
The teams traded baskets and a three-ball from Barmore kept the contest at 69-48 with 5:51 to play.
Evans hit a three-point shot with 1:57 to play for a 77-68 advantage, but the Jaguars scored four straight to pull within five with 1:40 remaining.
Evans hit a pair of free throws with 47 seconds on the clock, but was whistled for his fifth foul six seconds later. Dean hit a pair of free throws to give USC Aiken an 84-78 advantage with 37 seconds to go, but Dean was called for his fifth foul with 32 seconds left on a three-point attempt.
The Jaguars tied it with 27 seconds to go. USC Aiken missed a pair of shots in the final seven seconds as the game was sent into overtime tied at 84-84.
Hill gave the Pacers an 86-84 lead nine seconds into the extra period, but the Jaguars scored five straight to take an 89-86 lead. Barmore pulled the Pacers within one, but the team could not overcome the deficit.
For the game, USC Aiken hit 35-of-74 from the floor (47.3 percent), including seven-of-22 from downtown (32.0 percent). The team hit 12-of-19 from the charity stripe (63.2 percent). The Pacers out-rebounded the Jaguars 46-35.