AIKEN, S.C. – USC Aiken shot nearly 60 percent from the field in the second half, including a magical 7-of-8 success rate from the perimeter, to erase an 11-point deficit with six minutes left to play and stun visiting UNCP, 81-78, on Saturday evening in the Convocation Center.

The setback snapped a three-game series losing streak for UNCP (14-10, 8-6 PBC) who posted a 78-69 win over the Pacers earlier this season in Pembroke. The 20th-ranked and PBC-leading Pacers (17-5, 11-3) improved to 12-0 at home this season, while also grabbing their first win over the Braves since February of last season.

Shahmel Brackett scored a game-high 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting to pace UNCP, while teammate George Blakeney added 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds. The Pacers got double-digit point figures from five different players, including 15 from both Re'Mon Nelson and Ronald Zimmerman. Jesse Seilern added a dozen points, while Sterling Council and Jeremiah Pojah chipped in 11 and 10 points respectively.

It was the sixth time this season the Braves have lost a game by five or less points.

A pair of free throws by Blakeney just 23 seconds into the second half gave UNCP its largest lead of the game, 35-23, but the Pacers trimmed that deficit to just five points, 50-45, on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Pojah nearly seven minutes later. The Braves staked claim to a 66-55 advantage on a short jumper by Brackett at the 6:03 mark, but the Pacers answered with a 15-4 run over the next 3-1/2 minutes to knot the game up at 70 apiece with 2:03 remaining.

Brackett, seemingly, gave the visitors a 3-point edge on a perimeter shot with 81 seconds left, but the officials reviewed the play and determined that the junior's foot was on the line. Seilern gave the hosts their first lead of the game with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and USC Aiken canned five of their six free throw attempts in the last 31 seconds to seal the deal.

UNCP booked 7-0 and 10-1 runs in the first half to lead by as much as 15 points, 33-18, with just less than three minutes left before the intermission. The Pacers scored the last five points of the half to trim their deficit to just 10 points heading into the locker rooms.

UNCP will open up a three-game home stand on Wednesday when the Braves suit up to battle PBC East rival Francis Marion (14-10, 7-7) in the back half of a 5:30 p.m. basketball doubleheader in the English E. Jones Center.