Pirates spoil USC Aiken homecoming

AIKEN, S.C. – Senior Gabriel Robinson's basket with six seconds remaining helped the AASU men's basketball squad spoil homecoming for USC Aiken, notching a 77-76 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) victory over the Pacers on Feb. 20 in Aiken, S.C.

The win was the first for the Pirates (10-15, 5-11 PBC) over USC Aiken (15-9, 10-7 PBC) in the Convocation Center and gave AASU its fifth win out of its last seven contests.

The Pacers held a 40-34 lead at halftime and extended that lead out to 11 points early in the second half, but the Pirates battled back, cutting the lead to one on a Patrick Shokpeka layup that made the score 70-69 with 3:20 left.

USC Aiken would extend that lead out to five, 76-71, on a Seth Leonard layup with 1:10 left, but that would be the last time the Pacers would score. A Marquise Duvall free throw with 57 seconds left cut the lead to four, then Keron McKenzie buried a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left that trimmed the lead back down to one, 76-75.

A time out by the Pirates was followed by a Pacers' turnover with 33 seconds left, giving AASU the ball with the shot clock off. Shokpeka's game-winning shot attempt missed the mark with eight seconds left, but Robinson was there for the offensive rebound and the putback, giving the Pirates the one-point lead. Sterling Council's last-gasp three as time expired missed for the Pacers, giving AASU the victory.

The Pirates shot an outstanding 13-of-23 from the floor in the second half (56.5 percent), including hitting 5-of-7 3-pointers. Shokpeka led a quartet of Pirates in double figures, hitting 9-of-19 shots from the floor en route to 22 points, while McKenzie came off the bench to hit all four of his 3-point shots in his 16 points. Robinson finished the night with 14 points and nine assists, while Chris Vanlandingham chipped in 13 points.

USC Aiken was led by Leonard's double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds.