PEMBROKE, N.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team lost a hard-fought 77-71 contest at UNC Pembroke Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 14-11 on the season and 9-8 in league play.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Melyk Taouil's career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. Kwajelin Farrar accounted for 14 points and six rebounds to go along with three blocks. Kanna Suzuki netted double figures, canning four three-point shots for 12 markers. Suzuki and Taouil each distributed three assists apiece.

USC Aiken jumped out to a 4-0 edge after a put-back from Taouil and a lay-up from Farrar. Trailing 13-10, Taouil found Farrar for a jumper with 1:31 to go in the first quarter. Alex Canady's three-point shot gave the visitors a 15-13 advantage heading into the second stanza.

UNC Pembroke took a 31-26 lead just past the midway point of the second quarter. However, Taouil canned a jumper after Farrar registered a steal at the 1:57 mark. Taouil hit a free throw with 90 seconds to go before intermission and Farrar's lay-up gave the Pacers a 34-33 lead at the break.

USC Aiken found itself trailing 56-49 going into the fourth quarter, but Miller's team battled back. Suzuki nailed a three-ball with 7:30 to go, cutting the deficit to four at 58-54. Less than a minute later, Suzuki took a pass from Taouil and found the bottom of the net to pull the squad within one.

Down by three, 62-59, Madison Williams found Suzuki for another three-point shot, tying the game with 3:43 to play. UNC Pembroke pushed the advantage to five, but Taouil's three-point play with seven seconds remaining made it a two-point game, 73-71. Forced to foul, UNC Pembroke made the free throws in the closing seconds.  

For the game, USC Aiken hit 25-of-69 from the floor (37.7 percent) and made 12-of-16 (75.0 percent) from the charity stripe. Miller's team forced 11 turnovers and converted the miscues into 13 points. USC Aiken snagged 11 offensive rebounds to 10 by the home squad. The Pacers maintained a 28-20 edge in the paint. USC Aiken also totaled six steals to five by the Braves.

The Pacers return to action Saturday for Homecoming at 1:30 p.m., against Clayton State. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.