Box Score LAKELAND -€" Florida Southern trailed for most of the game Saturday, and every time the Moccasins appeared on the verge of taking the lead, South Carolina-Aiken had an answer. When Cameron Wooten hit a 3-pointer to give FSC a one-point lead with 4.1 seconds to play, it appeared the Mocs had one of their own. Instead, the Pacers answered one final time when Byron Faison drained a 3-pointer as time expired to give USC-Aiken a 77-75 win.
In an early-season match-up of nationally ranked teams, No. 6 Florida Southern (1-2) had only a pair of one-point leads in the game, yet No. 14 South Carolina-Aiken (2-0) never found a way to put the game out of reach. They did find a way to win it, however, when it looked like the Moccasins would surely win their 25th straight home opener. Faison’s 3-pointer was only the second one of the day for USC-Aiken, and its first since Re’mon Nelson started the game with one.
The Moccasins trailed by as many as 12 in the first half, by seven at halftime, and by nine with less than four minutes remaining in the game. What followed was a 9-0 run that tied the game at 72 going into the final minute. Brandon Jenkins made two free throws to start it before Damon Ellison came up with a steal and break-away basket to pull the Mocs within five. A three-point play by Jenkins cut it to 72-70, and Ellison tied the game with a jumper at the 1:03 mark.
The Pacers broke out of their drought when Sterling Council hit a short jumper from the edge of the lane with 25 seconds to play, giving them a 74-72 lead. After a timeout, Jenkins got the ball to Wooten in the left corner where he drained a 3-point shot to give the Mocs their first lead since early in the first half.
It didn’t hold up though. The Pacers called another timeout to set up a play of their own, and Faison made it work. Pinned in the left corner by a pair of Moccasins with time running out, the senior guard threw up an off-balance shot just before the buzzer that dropped through the net for the game-winning points.
The Pacers were shooting over 60 percent for most of the first half, and has six different double-digit leads. Each time, the Moccasins whittled away the deficit, and got it down to seven when Brett Bailey connected on two free throws 32 seconds before halftime. When Jenkins and Ellison each hit shots in the opening minute of the second half, the Mocs were within three.
The remainder of the game followed a similar pattern. The Pacers would push their lead back to eight points, the Mocs would cut it to two or three, and the Pacers would answer by again making timely baskets at the other end. One such occurrence came with less than five minutes to play when the Mocs trailed by five, but saw Nelson and Council make steals on back-to-back possessions, with each scoring a basket to put USC-Aiken ahead 72-63.
Jenkins and Ellison each scored 17 to lead the Moccasins, with Jenkins also picking up five rebounds and six assists. Wooten and Rion Rayfield added 10 apiece.
USC-Aiken also had four players in double figures, led by Nelson with 13. Council came off the bench for 12 points and four assists, Michael Technow scored 11, and Kevin Willis had 10 points. Myles Holley enjoyed a big game off the bench too, totaling nine points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. Holley helped the Pacers out-rebound the Moccasins, 40-26, and hold a 44-26 advantage in points in the paint.
Florida Southern will be at home again on Tuesday when it hosts Puerto Rico-Bayamon at 7:30 p.m.
