FLORENCE, SC - The Francis Marion University men's and women's basketball teams will open Peach Belt Conference play when they play host to USC Aiken for a doubleheader on Wednesday (Dec. 2) evening.

The twinbill will begin with the women's game at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's contest at 7:30 p.m.  General admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students (FMU students are admitted free with ID). 

All fans are asked to wear red for this PBC opener.

Both games will be televised live on Channel 11 of Florence's Time Warner Cable system as well as streamed on the internet at http://www.pennatlantic.com/main.php?module=event-results&searchIt=yes . The men's game will also be broadcast on The Fan, 100.1 FM.

The Francis Marion Women are unbeaten at 5-0 and ranked 18th in the latest USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 poll.  USCA is 4-1 and is listed among the other schools receiving votes in the poll.

Francis Marion leads the all-time series with USCA 42-19, including a 101-83 win in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament and six straight wins in Florence.

The Patriot men are 6-1, while the Pacers are 2-2.  FMU also leads the men's series 40-28, but USCA has won the last four meetings.

This will be the opening contest for basketball competition in the Peach Belt Conference for 2009-10.