Box Score  
Aiken, S.C.----The 20th-ranked and top-seeded Pacers of USC Aiken outscored #25 Wingate University 42-28 in the second half Sunday night, overcoming a two-point halftime deficit to register a 69-57 victory in the NCAA regional semifinals. The Pacers improve to 24-7 overall, advancing to Tuesday’s regional championship game. The Bulldogs end their season at 22-9 overall.

Wingate sees its season end in the NCAA regional semifinals for the second straight year. The Bulldogs won 20 games for the second straight time in the 2012-13 season. Wingate won the Food Lion SAC Tournament title for the second straight year as well, while playing in its third consecutive SAC championship game. The five Bulldog seniors finish their impressive careers with an overall record of 76-45. “This is a pretty special group of people,” head coach Brian Good says about his five seniors. “I have been very fortunate to be associated with them. They have helped establish our basketball program to the level we’d like for it to be. I’ll always remember these guys.”

Ronald Zimmerman led the Pacers with 15 points, hitting four-of-six shots from beyond the arc. Paul Larsen added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Santoine Butler had 11 points for the Pacers. Re’mon Nelson registered 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Sophomore guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) had 14 points to lead the Wingate attack, adding five rebounds and two assists. Senior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) added 13 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) had eight points and six rebounds, while junior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) contributed seven points and nine rebounds.

“I thought the key would be handling pressure, making sure we got good shots, and didn’t allow bad shots and turnovers to turn into baskets on the other end,” Good says. We did that well in the first half, but we got away from it in second half. We shot the ball poorly tonight. We missed some point blank shots and you can’t get away with that against a team like USC Aiken.”

The Pacers jumped out to an early 9-6 lead on a Nelson jumper six minutes into the first half. A triple from Zimmerman, along with two free throws gave USC Aiken a 16-11 lead at the 9:18 mark. Wingate answered with a 14-2 run to take a seven-point lead. Daye got it started with a layup and a three, while another Daye triple made it 21-18. An offensive rebound and putback from Parker capped the run, making it 25-18 with 4:20 left in the half. The Pacers closed the half on a 9-4 run, cutting the lead to two on a pair of Butler free throws with 35 seconds left.

A Kincaid layup four minutes into the second half helped Wingate regain a two-point lead. The Pacers responded with a 7-0 run, taking a 40-35 lead on a Zimmerman triple with 14 minutes to go. Turner answered with a three-point play, while a Parker putback tied the game at 40. Two Turner free throws tied the game for the final time at 42.

USC Aiken would go on a pivotal 11-0 run, taking a 53-42 lead at the eight-minute mark. Larsen started the flurry with a layup, while a three-point play from Jesse Seilern capped the spurt. A jumper and two free throws from Nelson pushed the Aiken advantage to 15 at the 3:27 mark. Wingate trimmed the deficit below double figures on a three from senior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) with 58 seconds remaining, but that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get the rest of the way.

USC Aiken shot 42.3 percent from the field, shooting 56 percent in the second half. The Pacers hit six-of-18 shots from three-point range (33.3 percent). Wingate shot 38.3 percent from the field, going three-for-13 from beyond the arc (23.1 percent). The Bulldogs out-rebounded USC Aiken 41-31, while out-scoring the Pacers 34-26 in the paint. Wingate also held a 13-5 edge in second-chance points.

USC Aiken will face Barton on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the regional championship game.