FLORENCE, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team placed three student-athletes in double figures and picked up a 71-64 win at Francis Marion Monday evening.

The Pacers are now 2-4 overall, including a 2-3 mark in league action. The Patriots fall to 0-7 overall and 0-6 against PBC teams.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Chesney Gardner and Delaney Trushel as the duo shared team-high honors with 16 points apiece. Gardner also snagged eight boards. Chidinma Okafor posted 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in the victory.

Emily Trushel narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. She added five assists for good measure. Madison Williams and Allycia Harris chipped in eight and seven points, respectively.

Two consecutive baskets from Okafor gave USC Aiken an early 4-0 edge. After a 9-0 spurt by the Patriots, Gardner's jumper ended the run and made it 9-6. Trailing 11-6, Okafor snagged an offensive board and hit a shot in the lane. Moments later, Kanna Suzuki took a pass from Emily Trushel and canned a three-point attempt, knotting the score at 11-11.

In a back-and-forth second frame, Emily Trushel connected with Madison Williams, who made a jumper for a 15-14 lead. Miller's team trailed 28-25 before reeling off seven consecutive points for a 32-28 margin at intermission. Gardner started the run with a lay-up. Williams found Gardner for a basket, giving the Pacers a 29-28 lead with 2:04 to play. Grace Crawford dished a pass to Gardner for a three-point shot at the 1:06 mark for a 32-28 margin. USC Aiken did not allow FMU to score a point over the last 4:07 of the period and outscored the home squad 19-14 during the quarter.

The Pacers netted the first six points of the third stanza. Delaney Trushel's basket extended the advantage to 10, 38-28. Miller's team pushed the lead to 11 on a pair of occasions and maintained a 50-42 margin heading into the final period.

FMU pulled within three at 50-47, but Williams registered an old-fashioned three-point play. After USC Aiken extended the advantage to double digits, the home team fought back to pull within six at 65-59. However, Delaney Trushel made a pair of free throws with 49 seconds remaining.

Leading 67-62, Delaney Trushel buried two more charity tosses, pushing the margin to seven. Up 69-64, USC Aiken hit two more free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 28-of-66 from the floor (42.4 percent), including seven-of-19 from the three-point line (36.8 percent). Miller's team held a 41-33 edge on the glass, including a 15-10 margin on the offensive boards. The visitors registered 16 fast break points and dominated the paint, 36-14.

The Pacers return to action Wednesday when they host Lander at 5:30 p.m.