AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team lost a 76-65 contest to Columbus State Saturday afternoon.

The Pacers are now 4-12 overall, including an 0-6 ledger in league play.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Sami Bardonaro's team-best 16 points. Hailey Unger added 13 points and four assists while Marta Rivera added 12 points and five rebounds.

Jaya Nelson totaled nine points and five rebounds while Jentri Worley had seven points and two assists.

Trailing 24-4 after the first quarter, Miller's team put together a tremendous second quarter, outscoring the visitors 25-12. Down 28-9, Paris Webster buried a three-point bucket at the 5:58 mark off a pass from Destiny Harman. Just 33 seconds later, Nelson canned a basket.

CSU led 30-14, Nelson connected with Unger for a long three-point basket. Bardonaro got into the act off a pass from Harman, finding the bottom of the net to cut it to 11, 30-19. With 3:29 to play, Harman hit Bardonaro for another three-point shot, helping the Pacers cut the deficit to eight, 30-22. The team got as close as six after a lay-up by Nelson at the 3:04 mark. CSU held a 36-29 advantage at the break.

USC Aiken cut the deficit to five at the 8:45 mark of the third period when Bardonaro pulled up on the break and drilled a three-ball off a pass from Unger. The Cougars pushed the margin to 11 at the 4:35 mark but Unger buried a three-ball to slice the margin once again to single digits. Rivera's basket made it a six-point contest, 50-44, but the visitors managed to stretch the lead to 15 heading into the fourth frame.

Down 69-47, Miller's squad continued to play hard. Worley hit one from distance and Rivera connected on a lay-up. Webster hit three free throws and a shot from Unger behind the three-point line made it 69-58 with 2:21 to play. Bardonaro's jumper with 51 ticks on the clock made it a seven-point contest but that was as close as the home team could get the rest of the way.

For the game, USC Aiken hit 24-of-63 from the floor (38.1 percent), including 11-of-30 from downtown (36.7 percent). The squad recorded 37 points off the bench. The team shared the ball well, recording 18 assists on 24 field goals.

The Pacers return to action Wednesday, Jan. 27, when they play at USC Beaufort at 5:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.