AIKEN, S.C. – The USCA women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 73-69 contest to Georgia Southwestern Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 3-12 on the season, including 0-5 in PBC play.

Head coach Mark Miller's team was led by Serena Baker's career-high 22 points and nine rebounds. She added two assists in 33 minutes of work.

Sami Bardonaro registered 13 points while Rhiannon Saller and Paris Webster had 10 points apiece. Gracie Huffard totaled seven points while Kendall Parker and Destiny Harman had four and three, respectively. Riley Simmons accounted for seven rebounds and a game-high five assists.

Down 7-4, Baker took a pass from Webster for the lay-up. Moments later, Baker's inside bucket knotted the score at 10-10. Down 17-12, Saller found Harman for a corner three ball, making it 17-15 heading into the second frame.

Trailing 19-15, Parker hit a free throw before Saller's lay-up made it 19-18. A bucket from Webster at the 6:08 mark gave the home team a 20-19 edge. Tied at 26-26, Baker took a pass from Parker and canned a jumper. Moments later, Huffard hit a free throw for a 29-28 lead. Then, Bardonaro drilled a three-ball before a lay-up from Baker gave the home team a 34-28 margin at the break.

USCA stretched the margin to 38-33 when Simmons found Baker for an inside shot at the 7:56 mark of the third frame. However, GSW embarked on an 8-0 spurt for a 41-38 lead. A late run by the visitors extended the margin to 54-48 heading into the fourth quarter.

Miller's team trailed 57-50 before a basket in the lane from Saller. Baker's lay-up made it a three-point contest. With 5:23 to go, Bardonaro canned a pair of charity tosses to knot the score at 58-58. The teams would continue to go back-and-forth. Bardonaro's three-ball with 3:37 to play gave USCA a 63-60 lead. However, the Hurricanes tied the score at 65-65.

Down by two with 15 seconds, Bardonaro was fouled and she calmly hit two free throws. A foul allowed the visitors to hit a free throw. Miller's squad missed a shot and GSW managed to hold onto a 73-69 win.

For the game, USCA hit 23-of-64 from the floor. The squad drained five three-point field goals and made 18-of-21 from the charity stripe. The Pacers pulled down 41 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive glass. Miller's team dished out 16 assists in the game.

The Pacers return to action Saturday, Jan. 18, when they travel to Columbus State at 1:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.