Box Score
Wingate, N.C.----USC Aiken junior forward Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C.) posted 25 points and eight rebounds to lead the number three Pacers to a 73-65 NCAA Division II women’s basketball victory over Wingate University Friday night in Cuddy Arena. Wingate freshman forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) exploded for career-high totals of 27 points and 12 rebounds for the hosts.
 
USC Aiken (6-0 overall) sweeps the season series, as the Pacers topped the Bulldogs 72-49 at the Convocation Center Nov. 14. Wingate (5-4 overall) hosts defending Southeast Region champion Lander Wednesday, Dec. 19. The Lander contest is Future Bulldog Day, when the Wingate women’s basketball program invites local fifth-grade students to the campus for a day of hoops and fun. Tip-off is slated for 12 noon.
 
The Pacers never trailed, but the Bulldogs made them earn the Southeast Region victory. USC Aiken sophomore forward Mackenzie Reese (Madison, Wis.) contributed 18 points and four steals, while senior guard Daniela Tarailo (Crown Point, Ind.) added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Pacer junior point guard Brittany Hill (Mechanicsville, Va.) dished out a game-high seven assists.
 
For Wingate, junior guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) had 12 points and six rebounds. Bulldog senior forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) had nine rebounds as Wingate outrebounded USC Aiken 42-23. The hosts had 16 offensive rebounds and 26 defensive boards.
Wingate made 30 turnovers, allowing USC Aiken to record 19 steals. Senior guard Mia Antoine (Stone Mountain, Ga.) had five thefts to lead both teams.
 
USC Aiken bolted to an 11-2 lead on a jumper by junior forward Porsha Martin (Douglasville, Ga.) at the 16:24 mark. Martin and Harris had four points each in the opening statement. The Pacers pushed the advantage to 21-9 on a fast break lay-up by Reese five minutes later.
 
Two free throws by Antoine (7:46) put USCA up 29-16, the visitors biggest bulge of the evening. Wingate responded with a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 29-26 on a three-point field goal by freshman forward Sharee Boyd (Charlotte, N.C.) with 4:35 to go in the opening act. The Pacers scored the last eight points to take a 37-26 lead at intermission.
 
Wingate scored the first six points after halftime to pull within 37-32 on a jumper by junior forward Chantal Dunbar (Norfolk, Va.) four minutes into the second stanza. The Bulldogs would get no closer, as the Pacers pushed their advantage to 53-40 on a Reese triple at the 10-minute mark.
 
Two Dunbar free throws cut the edge to 61-55 with three minutes left. The Pacers made seven-of-eight free throws down the stretch to keep the Bulldogs at bay. USC Aiken led by as many as 10 in the waning moments.
 
USC Aiken hit 47.5 percent of its field goals (28-of-59), while Wingate made 38.9 percent (21-of-54). The Pacers converted 50 percent in the second half (12-of-24). Tarailo and Reese both hit two triples; Williams made two long-range jumpers for the Bulldogs.
 
Both teams competed in the 2012 NCAA Division II Southeast Region tournament at Aiken. The Bulldogs advanced to the final before falling to Lander. USC Aiken head coach Mike Brandt won his 200th game at USCA Friday night.

Newspaper Box Score
#3 USC Aiken vs Wingate
12/07/12 7 p.m. at Wingate, N.C.

#3 USC AIKEN WOMEN 73, WINGATE 65
#3 USC AIKEN (6-0 overall)
Harris, Kayla 11-20 3-3 25; Reese, Mackenzie 8-12 0-2 18; Tarailo, Daniela 4-11 1-2 11; Martin, Porsha 3-6 1-2 7; Hill, Brittany 1-4 4-4 6; Antoine, Mia 1-6 4-4 6; O'Rourke, Emily 0-0 0-0 0; Moody, Tiffani 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-59 13-17 73.
WINGATE (5-4 overall)
McGee, Morgan 8-12 11-11 27; Williams, Janitsha 4-10 2-2 12; Wollett, Sarah 3-14 2-2 9; Dunbar, Chantal 3-5 3-4 9; Boyd, Sharee 1-4 0-0 3; Bonner, Kelli 1-2 0-0 3; Logan, Tish 1-7 0-0 2; Boston, Brooklyn 0-0 0-0 0; Thompson, Jakari 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-54 18-19 65.
#3 USC Aiken..................   37   36  -   73
Wingate.......................   26   39  -   65
3-point goals--USC Aiken 4-12 (Reese, Mackenzie 2-4; Tarailo, Daniela 2-7; Antoine, Mia 0-1), Wingate 5-12 (Williams, Janitsha 2-3; Boyd, Sharee 1-1; Wollett, Sarah 1-6; Bonner, Kelli 1-2). Fouled out--USC Aiken-Moody,
Tiffani, Wingate-None. Rebounds--USC Aiken 23 (Harris, Kayla 8), Wingate 42 (McGee, Morgan 12). Assists--USC Aiken 17 (Hill, Brittany 7), Wingate 10 (Boyd, Sharee 3). Total fouls--USC Aiken 18, Wingate 14. Technical fouls--USC Aiken-None, Wingate-None. A-209
USCA is #3 in the USA TODAY Sports D-II top 25 poll
WU hosts Lander Wednesday, Dec. 19 (12 noon)
#3 USCA hosts UNCP Saturday, Dec. 15 (5:30 p.m.)