PEMBROKE – Mike Smith hit a 3-pointer with 8.9 seconds left in regulation and the UNC Pembroke men's basketball team outscored visiting USC Aiken 11-6 in the extra period as the Braves kept pace in the race for the Peach Belt Conference regular season title with a 77-72 triumph over the Pacers on Wednesday evening at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
It was the fourth-straight victory for the Braves (18-7, 11-5 PBC) who remain tied atop the PBC standings with Augusta who registered a 75-71 home win over Francis Marion on Wednesday. The setback snapped a two-game win streak for the Pacers (16-7, 10-6) who came into the night sharing the top spot in the league as well.
 
Smith scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half to key the comeback effort, while Alex Bradley scored 15 points as well, including a perfect 8-for-8 clip from the free throw line.  Nigel Grant fell just short of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards, while Brandon Watts finished his night with a baker's dozen as well.
 
Mark Matthews tallied a game-best 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead USC Aiken, while Henry Bolton chipped in 17 points, including a 7-of-9 showing from the charity stripe.
 
The Braves went out in front, 62-59, on a running jumper by Watts with 2:24 to play, but the Pacers grabbed a 66-63 advantage with 22 ticks left following an old-fashioned 3-point play from Paris Ballinger. Smith attempted an initial 3-pointer with 19 seconds left that went off the side of the rim into the waiting hands of Bolton, but the USC Aiken junior fumbled the ball out of bounds to give the hosts another chance.
 
The teams combined for 25 turnovers in the opening period and neither side shot better than 38 percent from the floor. The Braves connected on four of their first five attempts from the field, but went 4-for-24 (.166) over the last 14:19 of the opening stanza. The Pacers, likewise, connected on just 5-of-19 (.263) attempts through the first 14 minutes of the first half, but connected on four of their last five to eventually lug a 29-24 lead into the break.
 
The visitors committed 13 first-half turnovers, including nine in the first 12 minutes.
 
The Braves will get a week off from competition before opening up a two-game road trip on February 15 at Armstrong State (10-14, 5-10). The Pirates used a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to grab an 87-84 victory over the Black & Gold earlier this season in Pembroke.