The USC Aiken Pacers are riding high after a dominant performance in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament and securing a coveted spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
On Sunday afternoon, the second-seeded Pacers (23-8) defeated fourth-seeded USC Beaufort 92-76 to claim the PBC Tournament Championship. Jalen McCoy led the charge with a 22-point, eight-rebound performance, earning him Tournament MVP honors. Davion Cunningham contributed 20 points and seven rebounds, while Rafael Rubel added 15 points. Rhyjon Blackwell posted nine points, and Simeon German tallied seven points and nine rebounds.
After falling behind early, Blackwell sparked a Pacer comeback. Trailing 9-7, McCoy tied the game, and USCA took a three-point lead. USC Beaufort briefly regained the lead, but a step-back jumper from Rubel and a pair of free throws from McCoy put the Pacers back on top. McCoy continued to dominate, extending the lead to nine before halftime.
USCB closed the gap early in the second half, but McCoy responded with a three-point play. A 5-0 run extended USCA's advantage to seven. After the Sand Sharks tied it, Cunningham found Rubel for a three-pointer, and a hook shot by McCoy pushed the lead back to five. The Pacers then went on a run, extending the lead to 15 and sealing the victory.
USCA shot 47.7% from the floor and held a 47-39 rebounding edge. The team's strong inside game was evident, outscoring USCB 48-30 in the paint.
With the PBC Tournament title in hand – their first since 2013-14 – the Pacers awaited the NCAA Selection Show, where they learned they had earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Southeast Region Tournament.
The Pacers will face Catawba in the regional tournament, which will be hosted by top-seeded Columbus State (26-4). Lenoir-Rhyne, Lincoln Memorial, UNC Pembroke, Augusta, and Carson-Newman round out the tournament field.
This marks the third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for USC Aiken and the fourth under head coach Mark Vanderslice. The program has a rich tournament history, including Elite Eight (2013) and Final Four (2014) appearances.
USCA defeated Catawba 81-79 earlier this season and holds a 6-4 record in the all-time series.
The NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament will be held in Columbus, Ga. USCA will play Catawba on March 15th at 2:30pm
