MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball team lost a 71-65 contest at No. 24 Georgia College Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 9-5 on the year and 3-1 in league play.

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Tehree Horn's team-high 13 points. David Strother accounted for 12 points while LaTreavin Black and Jalen McCoy each had 10 points. Strother registered five steals in the loss. Black and Mason McMurray snagged six rebounds apiece. McMurray chipped in nine markers.  

USC Aiken opened the scoring with a three-ball from David Strother off a pass from Tyler Johnson. Leading 3-2, McCoy missed a lay-up but Black was there to throw down a thunderous dunk. A jumper from Horn pushed the margin to five, 11-6. At the 9:54 mark, McMurray's bucket gave Vanderslice's team an 18-11 edge.

Leading by five, Horn buried a three-point shot to make it 21-13. McCoy's lay-up gave USC Aiken a nine-point margin at 27-18 with 6:26 to play in the half. The Pacers maintained a lead at intermission, 36-34.

USC Aiken held a 38-34 lead but the Bobcats rattled off six straight points. Vanderslice's team knotted it at 40-40. Although GC regained the advantage momentarily, McMurray's shot at the 7:49 mark gave the visitors a 49-48 edge. After a Bobcats' three-point bucket, McMurray drained two free throws to tie it at 51-51.

GC embarked on a 7-0 spurt but McCoy hit a shot and Samba Ndiaye made a lay-up, making it 58-55. A jumper by Horn pulled the team within two at 61-59 with 1:07 to play, but the squad could get no closer. The Pacers were forced to foul down the stretch and the Bobcats hit their foul shots for the six-point win.  

For the game, USC Aiken hit 28-of-67 from the floor (41.8 percent), including four-of-21 from the three-point line (19.0 percent). The squad hit five-of-seven from the charity stripe (71.4 percent). The Pacers grabbed 35 rebounds, leading to 17 second-chance points. The squad controlled the paint, outscoring the Bobcats 42-24.  

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Georgia Southwestern at 7:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.