Men's Basketball | December 05, 2023

Each week, USC Aiken will post notes. This week, the men's basketball team plays at St. Augustine's on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Outstanding Start

In the last home game, head coach Mark Vanderslice's team got off to a hot start. The team led 13-0 just 3:12 into the game and never looked back. Jameel Rideout canned a three-ball to get things going. He added to the lead with another shot from distance at the 18:31 mark. Tehree Horn nailed a shot from downtown before Tyler Johnson's steal and dunk made it 11-0. Johnson completed the run with a lay-up off a pass from Devin Evans.

Earning The Honor

USC Aiken men's basketball standout Jalen McCoy garnered PBC Player of the Week honors on Monday for his effort a week ago. The standout poured in 21 points in the win at Emmanuel before canning 18 in the victory over Claflin. He also averaged seven rebounds in the two victories. 

High-Scoring First Half

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team turned in an outstanding first-half performance in the win over Claflin. The team connected on 17-of-38 shots from the floor, including nine-of-17 from downtown. For good measure, the Pacers got to the line 12 times and canned eight attempts for a 51-point first half.

Protecting The House

After dropping the home opener to No. 8 UNC Pembroke by just six points, USC Aiken has gotten things going in front of the home crowd. The Pacers downed Tusculum 85-70 before downing Limestone 83-82 and Barton 88-72. The 80-62 victory over Claflin pushed the squad's record to 4-1 in the Convocation Center. Since the loss, the team is averaging 84 points per game in its home arena.

Hitting From Downtown

In the win over Claflin, USC Aiken found the bottom of the net nine times in the opening half from behind the three-point arc. The squad added three more shots from deep in the second half. Overall, the team buried 12 of its 28 made field goals in the win from downtown (42.85 percent).

A While Between Home Games 

After last weekend's home win, USC Aiken returns to the Convocation Center for only five games over the next eight weeks. The team hosts Francis Marion on Dec. 16, Southern Wesleyan on Dec. 30, Flagler on Jan. 10, Columbus State on Jan. 20 and North Georgia on Jan. 31.

Inside The Numbers

This week, the men's basketball team plays at St. Augustine's on Saturday, Dec. 9. Since moving to Division II, the Pacers are 231-178 (56.5 percent) in Saturday games. During the same time, the team is 3-2 on Dec. 9.

Against The Opponent

This week, the men's basketball team plays at St. Augustine's on Saturday, Dec. 9. The Pacers are 2-0 in the all-time series against St. Augustine's, having won both contests within an 11-day span in Dec. 2021.