ANDERSON, S.C. - A late scoring drought of more than six minutes proved costly, as Anderson dropped a 59-53 overtime decision to 16th-ranked USC Aiken in non-conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center.
Meeting for the second time in less than a week, USC Aiken (9-1) won its eighth consecutive game and swept the season series, while Anderson slipped to 5-5 on the season.
The final non-conference matchup of the season for both teams featured six ties and 10 lead changes in the first half alone, with neither team able to build more than a seven-point lead throughout the contest.
The Trojans pushed out to a 45-38 lead - the largest by either team - at the 7:44 mark on a steal and 3-pointer from guard Emily Willoughby and a short jumper from freshman Sierra Simpson and held a 49-42 advantage with 4:27 remaining in regulation, but the Pacers closed the second half with a 7-0 run as Anderson misfired on four consecutive shots and committed three turnovers.
Trailing 49-46 with 46.1 seconds on the clock, USC Aiken's Lindsay Sundberg tied the contest with her lone 3-pointer of the game from the right wing and when the Trojans turned the ball over on the other end, USC Aiken had an opportunity to win in regulation, but missed on the other end with three seconds on the clock. AU junior forward Alissa Diaz' desperation heave at the buzzer was off the mark, sending the contest into overtime, the first by either team this season.
The Pacers scored the first four points of the extra period, but AU pulled within two on a pair of free throws from junior Breonda Shannon, which snapped a six-plus minute drought. USC Aiken never trailed during overtime, with guard Brittany Hill connecting on four free throws in the final 27 seconds.
USC Aiken held a 37-33 advantage on the boards and outshot AU, 37.9 percent to 37.3 percent. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with the Trojans connecting on 2-of-16 and USC Aiken going 3-of-11.
Freshman guard Sierrra Simpson paced the Trojans with 15 points, while dishing out four assists and recording three steals. Diaz and Shannon each added 10 points apiece, with Shannon collecting a game-high 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
USC Aiken sophomore forward Kayla Harris led all scorers with 18 points and also grabbed nine rebounds, while Hill chipped in 10 points.
The Trojans take a 17-day layoff for the Christmas break before embarking on a three-game SAC road swing on Jan. 4 at Lenoir-Rhyne.
