AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team posted a 75-55 victory over Winston-Salem State Wednesday afternoon.
The Pacers are now 6-5 on the season while the Rams fall to 6-7.
Head coach
Mark Miller's team was led by
Kwajelin Farrar's 19-point, 12-rebound, eight-block performance.
Alex Canady and
Alexis Mack tallied 12 points each while
Melyk Taouil narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
Rikoya Anderson also added nine points in the victory.
Leading 13-11,
Grace Crawford hit a free throw and Farrar took a pass from
Kanna Suzuki for an inside shot, putting the home squad up by five. Moments later, Farrar's bucket off a pass from Anderson gave the Pacers a 20-13 edge with 1:30 to play in the first quarter.
Up by four at 25-21, Mack hit a free throw. Anderson connected on a pair of charity tosses prior to Anderson's three-ball for a 31-21 edge. WSSU cut the margin to three at 31-28 before Miller's team embarked on a 9-0 spurt. During the run, Taouil hit two free throws. Canady made a lay-up before Taouil and Farrar each hit jumpers. Taouil completed the run with a charity toss to make it a 40-28 contest. At the break the Pacers led 41-30.
USC Aiken scored the first six points of the second half. Canady hit a three pointer before Farrar had the next three markers. The Pacers pushed the lead to 22 at the 6:32 mark of the third frame when Suzuki canned a three-point shot for a 54-32 edge. However, the visitors trimmed the margin to eight at 58-50 heading into the fourth quarter.
Miller's team controlled the final stanza though, outscoring the Rams 17-5, securing the win. USC Aiken did not allow the visitors closer than 13 points during the final 10 minutes of action. The five points allowed were the fourth-fewest points given up by the Pacers in a quarter in school history - and it marked the fewest points the team has ever allowed in the fourth frame.
For the game, USC Aiken hit 24-of-57 from the floor (42.1 percent), including 10-of-20 from downtown (50.0 percent). The Pacers snagged 60 rebounds to 37 by WSSU. USC Aiken dished out 18 assists on the 24 field goals.
The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Georgia College at 1:30 p.m.
