AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team lost a hard-fought game to North Georgia by a score of 61-49 Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 4-15 overall, including 0-9 in league play.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Marta Rivera's double-double effort of 14 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 boards marked a game high for the standout. Jentri Worley added nine points while Annalise Malone tallied seven points. Destiny Harman and Paris Webster notched five points apiece.

Defensively, Nelson registered six steals. Additionally, she snagged five boards in 24 minutes of work.

Trailing 5-2 in the early going, Rivera buried a jumper. Worley's ensuing basket gave the home team a 6-5 edge at the 6:18 mark. However, the Nighthawks went on a 14-2 run for a 19-8 lead before Webster's three-point bucket pulled USC Aiken within eight at 19-11 heading into the second quarter.

UNG held a 26-17 lead at the 4:24 mark but Miller's team fought back. Rivera got things going with a bucket. Rhiannon Saller's lay-up off a pass from Worley cut the deficit to five. Rivera went back to work with another jumper at the 3:01 mark. Jaya Nelson converted a basket in the lane to pull within one but the Nighthawks responded with a lay-up at the 2:05 mark. With five seconds left in the half, Harman took a pass on the wing from Worley and found the bottom of the net, tying the game at 28-28 at the break.

The Pacers took a 30-28 lead on a basket from Malone just 52 ticks into the third frame. Down by one, Malone converted a lay-up off a pass from Rivera for a 32-31 edge. The Nighthawks responded with a 16-1 run before Harman canned an inside shot to make it 47-35.

USC Aiken trailed 57-37 with 3:51 to go but continued to play hard. Malone hit a pair of free throws as did Nelson to make it a 16-point game. After a steal and pass from Nelson, Rivera converted the lay-up. Down 59-46, Worley buried a three-ball, slicing the deficit to 10 with 53 ticks on the clock.

For the game, USC Aiken went 20-of-60 (33.3 percent), including four-of-19 from downtown (21.1 percent). The squad accounted for 24 points in the paint. Miller's team registered 19 points off 24 turnovers by the visitors in the loss.

The Pacers return to action Saturday, Feb. 3, when they host Georgia College & State at 1:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.