BEAUFORT, S.C. – The USCA men's basketball team lost a 100-88 overtime decision at USC Beaufort Wednesday evening.

The Pacers are now 17-8 on the season, including 10-5 in PBC play.

Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Simeon German's 18-point, seven-rebound effort. Davion Cunningham and Jalen McCoy netted 17 points apiece. Cunningham had seven boards. Rhyjon Blackwell added 13 points while Mason Grant chipped in 11. Caleb Byrd added eight points while Rafael Rubel had four points and eight assists.

Down 7-3, Cunningham hit a pair of free throws at the 16:59 mark. Trailing 10-5, Grant hit a free throw. Less than a minute later, Blackwell hit Grant for a twisting lay-up, pulling the team within two at 10-8. Trailing 22-12, McCoy hit a jumper at the 12:15 mark. Byrd pulled the visitors within six at 22-16.

Rubel found Grant for a thunderous dunk with 10:26 to play, making it 24-19. With the score at 27-19, Grant and Cunningham hit back-to-back lay-ups. Down 36-25, Cunningham hit a pair of free throws. German's jumper made it 36-29. Trailing 42-31, Rubel hit Grant for a lay-up. Blackwell connected an old-fashioned three-point play. Byrd hit a late three-point basket, but the Sand Sharks countered with a field goal to make it 46-39 at the break.  

Down 50-42, McCoy hit a pair of free throws. A lay-up by German and a three-ball from Cunningham pulled the Pacers within one at the 17:07 mark. Trailing 62-49, Grant started a run with a pair of charity tosses. Cunningham netted six straight points to pull within five at 62-57 with 11:23 to play.

With the score at 72-62, Blackwell hit a free throw with 6:21 to play. McCoy converted a lay-up as did Byrd, along with a free throw slicing the deficit to four at 72-68. Trailing 78-70, Grant found German for a dunk. After a lay-up by German, Blackwell made two free throws with 2:03 to go.

Vanderslice's team trailed 82-76, but Rubel converted a lay-up with 58 seconds to go. Cunningham made it a two-point game with 31 ticks to play. After a free throw by the Sand Sharks, Blackwell got the pass and drilled a three-ball from the corner, tying the game with three seconds remaining. USCA stole the pass, and Cunningham had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but the shot did not fall.

Trailing 87-83, McCoy hit a twisting lay-up and made the free throw for the three-point play. Rubel pulled the team within one on a shot with 3:11 to go. However, USCB went on an 11-0 spurt to end the game.  

For the game, USCA hit 29-of-67 (43.3 percent) from the floor, including four-of-14 (28.6 percent) from downtown. The Pacers hit 26-of-31 (83.9 percent) from the charity stripe. Vanderslice's team snagged 39 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. USCA scored 22 points off turnovers and netted 48 points in the paint.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Clayton State at 1:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.