AIKEN, S.C. – The UNC Pembroke women's basketball team led by as many 16 points in the third quarter before USC Aiken closed the gap to four, but the Braves never trailed in the final 37 minutes en route to a 60-54 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) victory on Wednesday evening in Aiken.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: UNC Pembroke 60, USC Aiken 54
Records: UNC Pembroke (6-8, 4-6 PBC); USC Aiken (3-13, 0-10 PBC)
Location: Convocation Center
Series: USC Aiken leads 38-16

HOW IT HAPPENED
Box Score/Play-by-Play

FIRST QUARTER
-After USC Aiken took a 3-0 lead in the game's first minute, the Braves rattled off a 14-1 run to grab a 14-4 lead and led 14-6 after 10 minutes of action.
-UNCP held the hosts to just 1-for-11 shooting in the first quarter and three of the Pacers' six points in the opening frame came at the charity stripe.

SECOND QUARTER
-Nyla Allen scored eight of her game-high 15 points in the second period to lead the Braves to a 14-8 edge in the stanza and a 28-14 half time lead.
-The Pacers shot just 12.5 percent (3-for-24) in the first half and the Black & Gold held a 12-0 edge in points in the paint and a 10-3 advantage in points off turnovers.

THIRD QUARTER
-Up 32-25 with 6:37 on the clock, the Braves used a 10-1 run to take their largest lead of the game at 42-26 with just over two minutes to play in the period.
-The Pacers scored the next six points to claw back within 10 before Melanie Horne knocked down a long ball with two seconds to play. Horne scored eight of her 10 points in the third quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers.

FOURTH QUARTER
-USC Aiken scored 22 points in the final period, which was a game high for either team, but could not get closer than four with under five seconds to play.
-The Braves hit eight free throws in the final 84 seconds to ice the game.

NOTABLES
-UNCP has now won three of its last four games overall and two-straight away from home after starting the season 0-6 on the road.
-The Braves outrebounded the hosts 49-24, which is their second-largest margin of the season and led for the final 37:29 after taking a 5-3 lead in the first quarter.
-Allen's 15 points were a game best and gives her 10-straight games with at least 10 points. She came one rebound shy of a double-double with a team-high nine.
-Alecia Hardy chipped in 11 points, while Horne added 10. Brandi Robinson tacked on six points and hauled in eight rebounds.
-After outscoring USC Aiken 28-14 in the first half, the Braves were on the wrong end of a 40-32 margin in the final two periods.

UP NEXT
With a three-game road trip now in the rearview mirror, the Braves return home to face off against Clayton State on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on the front end of a women's-men's doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. The Lakers (7-8, 4-5 PBC) were idle on Wednesday, but have lost three of their last four overall and are currently one spot ahead of UNCP in the league race.