FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-5-05

Women's College Basketball: USC Aiken 64, AASU 54

Release Courtesy of USC Aiken Sports Information

AIKEN, S.C. - USC Aiken (16-7, 6-3 PBC) outscored Armstrong Atlantic State (15-9, 5-5 PBC) 23-10 in the first 10 minutes of the second half to post the 64-54 win on Homecoming 2005 at “The Courthouse” in women’s Peach Belt Conference basketball. The Lady Pacers extend their lead in the North Division to two games and stay perfect at home this season at 11-0.

The last time the Lady Pirates came to Aiken, they knocked off the Lady Pacers and ended their school record 19-game home winning streak. But a streaking USCA team, winners of four of its last five, was not to be denied. USCA entered the game ranked eighth in the latest South Atlantic region poll while AASU was fifth.

Nola Grant led USCA with 16 points on 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-4 at the stripe to go with five rebounds in 23 minutes. Grant scored 10 of the Lady Pacers first 12 points to open the game.

AASU was led by Audosha Kelley with 20 points and 10 rebounds. After scoring 10 of the Lady Pirates’ first 13 points, she was held scoreless over the final 11:33 of the first half and did not convert another field goal until 4:55 left in the game.

The first half was close as expected featuring nine lead changes. Both teams’ largest lead was five in the opening stanza with AASU ahead 11-6 at 14:14 and the Lady Pacers in front 26-21 with 4:23 on the clock.

The crucial run, however, was the opening 10 minutes of the second half. USCA got four fast break buckets during a 23-10 stretch that was capped by a Katie Gebhardt three-pointer to give the Lady Pacers their largest lead of the game 51-36 with 10:10 remaining. USCA entered the game shooting 39.5 percent from long range in PBC contests, but connected on only 1-of-15 attempts on the night (6.7 percent).

Surprisingly, USCA led 16-2 in fast break points and 26-16 in points off turnovers. When AASU and USCA met on November 7 in the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic Consolation Championship, the Lady Pirates forced USCA into 26 turnovers while committing just 11. Tonight, the Lady Pacers won that battle 26-19.

Following the Gebhardt trey, AASU went on an 8-0 run capped by one of two free throws by Ramona Wright with 6:06 to play to trim the margin in half 51-44. Benazura Serbecic’s jumper in the paint ended a field goal drought of 6:15 for USCA and pushed the advantage to 57-44 as the Lady Pacers won 64-54. USCA won the battle in the paint 38-10.

Lana Mandic and Kasey Mills each scored nine of their 13 points in the second half. Mandic just missed her second-straight double double pulling down nine rebounds while Mills swiped six of the team’s 13 steals and dished out four assists. Serbecic and Gebhardt each added nine points while point guard Mindy Allee handed out a game-high five assists and grabbed six boards.

Lavonne Thomas added nine points and seven rebounds for the Lady Pirates.

USCA was nearly flawless at the line draining 15-of-17 attempts for 88.2 percent.

- Pirates -