ST. AUGUSTINE – Emry Tsitouris recorded a double-double with game-highs in points (25) and rebounds (16) to help lead the University of South Carolina Aiken past Flagler College, for the second time this week, 69-55 in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Flagler Gymnasium. The two teams met at Aiken last Monday.
The win extends USC Aiken's winning streak to four games and improved its record to 9-6 overall and 5-1 in the Peach Belt. Flagler extended its losing streak to seven and fell to 2-10 overall and 0-6 in conference play.
Tsitouris was nearly flawless as she made 9 of 10 from the floor and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Amaura Brandt added 15 points with the help of three 3-pointers and Mackenzie Reese tacked on 13 points and dished out five assists. Reese added three steals to her line.
The Pacers shot 50.5% (25-50) from the field including a 57.1 clip (15-26) in the second half. USCA also shot 82.4% (14-17) from the free throw line. The Pacers tallied 24 assists on 25 made field goals.
Treva Mason tallied a team-high 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Saints.
Alex Alford added 12 points and tallied four assists.
Teosha Ray and
Tiffany Hodge each contributed nine points.
Rodnecia Brown led Flagler with five assists.
The Saints gathered 13 offensive rebounds and turned those into 13 points.
The Pacers used a 10-1 run in the first half to erase a two-point (18-16) Flagler lead. Brandt sank a 12-foot jumper to tie the game at 18 with 6:03 left to start the run. Kassy Johanssen capped the run with a layup to give the Pacers a 26-19 lead with 1:53 left on the clock. USC Aiken took a 30-23 lead into the break.
A stubborn Saints squad kept hanging around in the second half. Alford drove the lane on a fastbreak and made a layup and then knocked down the following free throw after being fouled on the play to pull Flagler to within a basket (42-40) with 13. But the Pacers would answer with a 15-6 run over the next seven minutes to take control of the game.
Flagler returns to the court on Wednesday (Jan. 14) at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus at 5:30 p.m.
