MORROW, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team scored the final 10 points of the game in an 85-75 win over Tusculum in the season opener for both teams Friday evening.

The game was hosted by Clayton State in the PBC-SAC Challenge.

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Tehree Horn's game-high 21 points on eight-of-14 shooting from the floor, including four-of-six from distance. David Strother tallied 20 points, with much of his damage coming from the charity stripe (12-of-14).

LaTreavin Black accounted for eight points and nine rebounds.

Caleb Furr, Mason McMurray and Preston Parks had seven points apiece. Parks added six boards in the win.

It was a back-and-forth affair in the early going and Tusculum held an 11-8 advantage until Strother buried a pair of free throws to make it 11-10. That sparked a 7-0 spurt by the Pacers as Furr drained a three-ball off a pass from Demitrios Dixon. A lay-up from Jalen McCoy pushed the margin to four, 15-11.

The Pioneers regained the advantage and stretched the margin, making it 37-29 at the break.

Down by 11 at 42-31, Black found Horn for a three-point shot, making it 42-34. After Tusculum made it 44-34, McMurray found Horn for a driving lay-up. Another bucket from Horn and a lay-up from Parks pulled the designated visitors within four at 44-40 with 16:06 to play.

Trailing 54-48, McMurray once again found Horn for a three-ball. A thunderous dunk from McMurray pulled the Pacers within one with 12:29 to go. After a three-point play by Horn made it 59-58, Samba Ndiaye found Dixon for a jumper, giving USC Aiken the lead with 10:35 on the clock.

Tusculum managed to regain the lead and extend the advantage to five, 67-62. Dixon and Furr rattled off the next five points. Down 70-69, Strother found Black for a lay-up. With 4:36 on the clock, Horn connected with Black for another lay-up and a one-point lead.

The teams traded points until a lay-up by Tusculum tied the score at 75-75 with 2:55 to play. From that point forward, Vanderslice's squad held the Pioneers without a point while reeling off the final 10 points of the game for the 10-point victory.

Strother connected on eight straight points, giving USC Aiken an 83-75 lead with 10 seconds to play before Tyler Johnson chipped in the final two points of the game off a pair of free throws.

For the game, Vanderslice's team hit 31-of-70 from the field (44.3 percent), including seven-of-22 from distance (31.8 percent). USC Aiken got to the charity stripe 20 times, hitting 16 attempts (80 percent). The squad also held a 12-7 advantage on the offensive glass, which led to a 14-5 difference in second-chance points.

The Pacers distributed 15 assists and had just five turnovers. USC Aiken also held a 15-2 advantage with fast break points. Additionally, Vanderslice's squad forced 19 turnovers and converted them into 26 points while allowing only two points off five turnovers.

The squad controlled the paint, holding a 42-24 edge.  

The Pacers return to action tomorrow when they square off against No. 17 Lincoln Memorial at 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.