FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 2-10-01

Men's Basketball: AASU 66, USC Aiken 63
Women's Basketball: USC Aiken 61, AASU 60

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball team erased a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes and Robert Campbell's three-pointer with one second remaining propelled the Pirates to a 66-63 victory over USC Aiken for Homecoming on Saturday evening, extending its school-record winning streak to 13 games.

In a battle of first place teams in the Peach Belt, the Pirates jumped out to a quick 19-9 in the first 10 minutes, but the Pacers rallied to take a two-point halftime lead, 31-29. In the second half, USC Aiken opened on a 13-3 run and took a nine-point lead, 42-33, with 16:15 left. The Pacers would extend the lead to 12, 56-44, with just 4:36 left and a three-point play by USC Aiken's Adam Waskavitz put USC Aiken up by 10, 60-50, with just 2:58 remaining.

Then the Pirates' Robert Campbell took over, canning a three-pointer and hitting two free throws to cut the lead to five, 60-55, with 2:28 remaining. A Dain Brown free throw put USC Aiken back up by six, but Mick Jordan picked up an offensive rebound and found Tavares Brown open at the top of the circle for a three-pointers, cutting the lead to three with 1:44 remaining. Campbell then stole the ball and dunked the ball in transition, but USCA's Michael Tyler responded with a dunk of his own to put the Pacers back up by three, 63-60, with 1:31 left. Donta Humphries scored on a driving layup with 1:18 left to cut the lead to one, then after a steal by Mick Jordan, Jordan hit a free throw to tie the game at 63-all. Dain Brown turned the ball over with 11 seconds remaining, leading to Campbell's game-winning three-pointer.

Campbell led all scorers with 20 points and also recorded four steals on the evening, passing Pittsburgh-Johnstown's Devlin Herring for second place on the DII all-time steals chart with 334 career thefts. The 1999-2000 PBC Player of the Year, Campbell went 8-of-14 from the floor, including 2-of-2 from three-point range. USC Aiken placed a trio of players in double figures, led by Michael Tyler's 25 points.

In women's action, the Lady Pirates had the ball with 16 seconds remaining and down, 61-60, but Lexie Martin's interior pass to Zandrique Cason went awry and the USC Aiken Lady Pacers held on for the one-point victory.

The Lady Pirates (8-13, 3-9 PBC) led by six at halftime, 35-29, but a 12-3 run by USC Aiken erased the AASU lead and put the Lady Pacers (17-5, 11-1 PBC) up by four, 55-51, with 6:55 left. USC Aiken would hold onto the lead and were up by four, 61-57, until Nicole Joffrion's three-pointer with 1:45 left cut the score to one. Neither team scored in the final 1:45.

Junior guard Lexie Martin led the Lady Pirates with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Jami Cornwell, the 1999-2000 PBC Freshman of the Year, led three Lady Pacers in double figures with 20 points.

The AASU men's and women's basketball teams next host Clayton College & State on Wednesday, February 14 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Alumni Arena.

- Pirates -