AIKEN, S.C. – Flagler College battled back from a 13-point deficit early in the second half but fell short 90-78 to the University of South Carolina Aiken in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
The Pacers have now won four-of-their-last-five to improve to 18-7 overall and 12-6 in the Peach Belt. Flagler lost its fifth in a row and fell to 9-15 overall and 3-14 in conference play.
USC Aiken took its largest lead, 57-44, after a Mark Matthews layup with 13:59 left.
The Saints were able to chip away, going on a 20-7 run over the next 5:58 to draw even after a pair of free throws by
Jeffercy Jean with 7:48 to play.
USC Aiken would go on to score the next 11-of-14 points to widen the gap to 75-67 after another Matthews layup with 4:50 left. Flagler closed to within five on an
Austin Howard layup, but the Saints could not get any closer.
Matthews finished with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Jalin Barnes added 20 points and sank four 3-pointers. Henry Bolton III finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Paris Ballinger came off the bench to provide 11 points and Robert Hill grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Pacers led 40-34 at the half and then shot 65.5 percent (19-29) from the field.
Chris Williams had a monster game for the Saints. For the eighth time this season, he recorded a double-double. He scored 18 points and grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds.
Cortlin Davis also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Vaughn McCall added 15 points. Jean tallied 11 points.
The Saints shot 35.6 percent (26-73) from the field, but they knocked down 69 percent (20-29) from the free throw line, including making 19-of-27 in the second half. Flagler cashed in on 15 USC Aiken turnovers. The Saints tallied 21 points on those misplays.
Flagler hosts the University of North Carolina Pembroke on Saturday (Feb. 18) at 3:30 p.m. on "
Bo Clark Day" at Flagler Gymnasium. We urge people to arrive early for the game as we are anticipating a large crowd for one of Coach Clark's final games before he retires at the end of the season.
