DAHLONEGA — Visiting USC Aiken scored the game's first eight points and never looked back as the Pacers led wire-to-wire in a 90-82 Peach Belt Conference win over the University of North Georgia men's basketball team on Monday evening in UNG's Memorial Hall.
North Georgia falls to 8-6 overall and the blemish is the first in league play.
Ebo Smith led four Nighthawks in double figures with 18 points, highlighted by 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line. Ephriam Tshimanga matched his season high of 15 points fueled by a perfect 9-of-9 showing from the charity stripe.
Ross Morkem and Roderick English added 11 and 10 respectively for UNG.
For most of the second half, USC Aiken held at least an eight-point lead and extended the score to 14 when Jalin Barnes hit a three-pointer to make it 75-61 with 6:11 to play.
North Georgia fought back and pulled within five at 85-80, but a USCA jumper with 29 ticks remaining pushed the score to 87-80. The Nighthawks made it 88-82 with 11 seconds to go but the Pacers buried a pair of free throws to close it out.
