AUGUSTA, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team placed four student-athletes in double figures in the 71-64 loss at Augusta Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 7-9 overall, including 3-5 in league play. The Jaguars are 10-7 overall and 3-5 against PBC foes.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Chidinma Okafor's 16 points 10 rebounds. She also added three blocks. Delaney Trushel netted 14 points and distributed six assists while Jentri Worley contributed 13 points. Allycia Harris added 10 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

Emily Trushel and Madison Williams chipped in seven points and four points, respectively.  

Trailing 6-2 in the early going, Delaney Trushel found Okafor for a lay-up. On the ensuing possession, Williams connected with Worley for a three-ball. A jumper by Williams extended the lead to three at 9-6. Down 12-10, Harris sliced through the defense for a lay-up, knotting the score with 3:04 to go in the frame.

AU netted the next seven points for a 19-12 advantage just 12 ticks into the second quarter. Okafor took a pass from Harris and drained an inside shot. A basket by Harris pulled the visitors within two at 19-17. Miller's team tied the contest at 21-21 with 5:57 to play on a jumper by Delaney Trushel but the Jaguars held a 33-26 lead at the break.

The home team led 38-29 in the third quarter before Miller called a time-out. Delaney Trushel canned a pair of free throws as did Harris, making it 38-33. After Harris snagged an offensive rebound, Delaney Trushel found Williams for a basket. Delaney Trushel knotted the game at the 5:04 mark with a three-ball of her own from 22 feet out, completing a 9-0 run.

AU embarked on a 5-0 min-run but the Pacers were up for the challenge. Okafor got things started with a lay-up at the 2:45 mark. Sarah Perez found Worley for a jumper, pulling USC Aiken within one at 43-42. USC Aiken tried to grab a rebound off a miss, but the Pacers were fouled. The Jaguars were whistled for a technical foul as well and the visitors made all four free throws – two by Harris and two from Delaney Trushel - en route to a 46-43 lead after three quarters.

USC Aiken trailed 51-49 before Worley went to the left side of the lane and was fouled. She immediately hit both charity tosses, tying it at 51-51. After a quick 8-0 run by the Jaguars, Emily Trushel hit a straight-away three-ball, pulling the team within five with under three minutes to go.

Down 61-54, Okafor hit a 15-foot jumper as the shot clock expired. She was fouled on the play and buried the old-fashioned three-point play. The teams traded points for a 63-59 score with 39.7 seconds to go.

Trailing 67-61, Worley canned a three-point shot with 16.2 seconds remaining. USC Aiken was forced to foul and the Jaguars hit their free throws for the final tally.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 21-of-53 from the floor (39.6 percent). The team canned 18-of-23 from the charity stripe (78.3 percent). The squad dished out 11 assists and registered 16 points off 14 turnovers.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they host No. 6 North Georgia at 1:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.