#25 USC-Aiken Overpowers Shaw 76-54
Sherri Fillingham 12/14/10

(Aiken, SC)-Plagued by turnovers in the first half, Shaw fell behind nationally ranked USC-Aiken by as much as30, and while they battled back in the second, it wasn’t enough as the Lady Bears fell to the homestanding Pacers 76-54.

The loss drops Shaw to 4-2 on the season, while 25th ranked USC-Aiken garners their tenth win on the season, versus only two losses. It was the first time this season that the Lady Bears have scored fewer than 60 points in a game.

When you’re down two before the clock even starts, it might be a sign that the evening is not going to go well. After a technical foul for not turning in their lineup in time, Shaw began the game down 2-0. USC-Aiken never let up, and the Bears handed them the ball 19 times on turnovers in the first half alone.

The Pacers sprinted to an early 19-4 lead with 13:21 left in the first when Daniela Tarailo hit one of Aiken’s six threes in the first half. For the next six minutes, the Pacers did not score, but the Lady Bears were only able to cut the lead to ten, 19-9, with 7:29 left in the first half.

USC-Aiken made up for the scoring drought, scoring the next 12 straight points and building the lead to 33-9 with just under five minutes left in the half.

With one second left in the first, Aiken’s Porsha Martin hit a three to take them into the locker room with a 45-17 margin.

The Lady Bears came out of the locker room a different team in the second half. After turning the ball over 19 times in the first, they lost it only four times in the second half.

After USCA took a 47-17 lead, the Lady Bears fought back, outscoring the Pacers 16-4, culminating with Aslea Williams’ layup that cut the Aiken lead to 18, 51-33 with 12:08 left in the game.

The Pacers rebuilt their lead, this time to 25 points, on a pair of Hannah DeGraffinreed free throws, to put the score at 64-39 with 7:51 left.

The Lady Bears still did not give up. Over the next five minutes, Shaw scored 14 unanswered points – led by five from Kyria Buford - cutting the Pacer lead to 64-53 with 2:51 remaining.

After the Pacers scored another layup, Shaw began fouling to try and stop the clock, but USC-Aiken went 10 for 12 from the charity stripe in the closing minutes, and Shaw failed to find the bottom of the net at the other end of the court save for a lone free throw, finally going down to the 76-54 defeat.

Buford was the only Lady Bear in double figures with 17 points. Janelle Harrison had nine. Aslea Williams led both team with 13 rebounds. Brittney Spencer had four assists to lead Shaw.

Three Pacers hit double figures on the night: Nakia Pinkney with 16, Tarailo with 15 and DeGraffinreed with 12. Kayla Harris and Lindsay Sundberg had seven rebounds apiece to top the Pacer lineup. Triahna Harris had nine assists.

Shaw returns to action next Thursday when they host Tusculum in a 2:00 p.m. matinee.