AIKEN, SC – Conference-leading USC Aiken pulled away in the second half to claim an 82-63 victory over visiting Francis Marion University, Wednesday (Jan. 8) night in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action.

Francis Marion (3-8, 2-2) will play its first home game of the New Year on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 11) at 3:30 p.m. when the Patriots hosts Lander University. FMU will hold a 4-for-$4 promotion for the 2020 opener as a group of four fans gets in for only $4.

Sophomore center Winston Hill paced FMU with his fifth double-double of the season as the Columbia native registered 18 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks.  Junior Keith Matthews added a career-high 17 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the year, while senior point guard Jaquez Smith chipped in 14 points in his return to the area where he attended North Augusta High School.

Damontez Oliver led USCA (9-6, 5-0) with 17 points, while Dhieu Deing and Shaquan Jules each scored 16, with Deing hauling down 11 rebounds.

Patriot junior forward Kendall Wall tied the score at 14-14 with a fast-break lay-in midway through the first half.  The Pacers held a 44-31 advantage at halftime.  Francis Marion twice pulled to within 12 points in the second stanza, the final time at 48-36 following a lay-up by Smith with 14:11 remaining.

1/8/20 7:30 p.m. at Aiken, S.C. (Convocation Center)
USC AIKEN 82, FRANCIS MARION 63
FRANCIS MARION (3-8; 2-2)
Winston Hill 7-17 4-6 18; Keith Matthews 6-15 2-2 17; Jaquez Smith 5-18 2-2
14; Trey Jones 2-4 0-0 4; Alex Cox 1-6 0-0 3; Douglas Dwight 1-6 0-0 3;
Kendall Wall 1-2 0-0 2; Ja'Lil Robinson 1-3 0-0 2; Loginn Norton 0-0 0-0 0;
Gabriel Dickerson 0-1 0-0 0; Jamal Edmonson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-72 8-10 63.
USC AIKEN (9-6; 5-0)
Damontez Oliver 7-13 2-2 17; Dhieu Deing 6-15 3-3 16; Shaquan Jules 8-10 0-0
16; Faison Brock 6-16 1-2 14; Gus Rowland 3-5 5-6 11; Robert Hill 1-2 2-4 4;
Kyle Tackeberry 1-2 0-0 3; Donaven Hairston 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 32-63 14-19
82.
Francis Marion................   31   32  -   63
USC Aiken.....................    44   38  -   82
3-point goals--Francis Marion 7-30 (Keith Matthews 3-7; Jaquez Smith 2-10;
Alex Cox 1-4; Douglas Dwight 1-2; Ja'Lil Robinson 0-2; Trey Jones 0-1;
Winston Hill 0-4), USC Aiken 4-16 (Dhieu Deing 1-6; Kyle Tackeberry 1-2;
Damontez Oliver 1-3; Faison Brock 1-3; Gus Rowland 0-2). Fouled out--Francis
Marion-None, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds--Francis Marion 36 (Winston Hill 10;
Keith Matthews 10), USC Aiken 47 (Faison Brock 11; Dhieu Deing 11).
Assists--Francis Marion 10 (Douglas Dwight 2; Keith Matthews 2; Gabriel
Dickerson 2; Jaquez Smith 2), USC Aiken 17 (Gus Rowland 6). Total
fouls--FMU 20, USCA 13. Technical fouls--None. A-679