AIKEN, S.C. – Jalen McCoy converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 26 seconds to play as No. 15 USCA knocked off Emmanuel 78-77 Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 4-0 on the season. 

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by McCoy's game-high 20 points. He also snagged seven rebounds and had five assists in the win. Rhyjon Blackwell knocked in 18 points while Davion Cunningham posted 17 points and seven rebounds. Mason Grant chipped in 10 points while Simeon German had six points to go along with a game-best nine rebounds. Rafael Rubel grabbed eight boards in the win. 

Vanderslice's team jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind four points from Cunningham. Trailing 11-10, German hit a pair of free throws for a one-point advantage with 12:56 to go. The back-and-forth affair saw Blackwell hit McCoy for a jumper, giving the home team an 18-17 edge. A bucket from Cunningham and a three-ball from Blackwell extended the margin to six, 23-17. Holding a 31-28 edge, McCoy found Caleb Byrd for a three-point shot just before halftime for a 34-28 advantage.

Holding a 39-38 lead, Blackwell drained a shot from distance at the 16:28 mark. Another basket pushed the margin to six, 44-38. Byrd found Blackwell for another shot from the three-point stripe, extending the lead to nine, 49-40, with 14:49 to play.

A run by the Lions closed the gap to just one, 55-54, with 9:16 to go. The visitors tied it at 57-57 and 59-59 before Kaleb Siler tipped in a shot for the home team. 

Tied at 63-63, Cunningham nailed a three-ball and Grant hit a jumper in the lane for a five-point cushion with 5:12 to play. Vanderslice's team made it 75-68 on a basket from McCoy at the 1:22 mark, but a 7-0 spurt in 16 seconds knotted the score at 75-75.

German found McCoy on a twisting shot in the lane with 26 seconds to go. McCoy's shot fell through the rim as he was fouled in the process. McCoy hit a free throw for a three-point lead.

A foul allowed EU to hit two foul shots with 12 ticks on the clock. USCA was fouled and missed a free throw. Vanderslice's team corralled the rebound, but a turnover allowed the Lions to take a last-second shot from just inside halfcourt. However, the shot missed, sealing the win for USCA.                                 

For the game, USCA hit 32-of-74 (43.2 percent), including six-of-21 (28.6 percent) from downtown. The Pacers corralled 49 rebounds, including 21 on the offensive glass. USCA tallied 50 points in the paint and had 14 second chance points.      

The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they play at Fayetteville State at 7 p.m. Live stats will be available at PacerSports.com.