BLUFFTON -- USCB women's basketball team put together a strong effort in its Peach Belt opener versus Augusta University Wednesday evening, but 19 first half turnovers hurt the Sand Sharks, falling 74-67. 

Janiyah Heyward led the way for USCB with 21 points and eight boards while Brielle Bartelt knocked down 16. Mahkayla Primo didn't score until the second half and put up 14 while dishing out four assists. 

"Very, very pleased with our effort," said head coach Sharon Versyp. "Turnovers hurt us and that's what shot us in the foot, but it's our first time playing a Peach Belt opponent and Augusta is a very good team. Again, very pleased with our effort as we finally got into a rhythm with our point guards and really executed." 

The Sand Sharks (4-5, 0-1 PBC) forced Augusta into a number of errant shooting opportunities throughout the first quarter as the Jaguars shot only 33 percent from the field compared to Beaufort's 77. Heyward put USCB on the scoreboard with a 17-footer from the wing, but AU's Mone Florence drilled a triple 10 seconds later to take the lead. After Heyward sunk another bucket from inside the paint, Kay'Mar Griffin made it a three-point game scoring off a fast break. 

The scoring picked up after that as the two teams were tied or the lead was exchanged three times throughout the period. Bartelt knocked down both ends from the charity stripe to tie the game at 16 and then gave USCB the lead as she laid one in as time expired. 

Augusta jumped out to a five-point lead three minutes into period two, but coming out of a timeout Bartelt made a circus-like jumper in the paint and followed it with a three-ball to tie it back up at 25. The Jags quickly answered going on a 12-4 run to close out the half, heading into the locker room up by eight. 

USCB opened the second half with back-to-back threes as Premo and Shaniya Rose cut the lead to four. However AU used a 9-2 run midway through the period to go up by 11. Heyward's turn around jumper ended the run, but the Jaguars would go to the free throw line four times as the period winded down to take a 10-point lead heading to the final period. 

Autumn Phillip's three-pointer with 7:06 remaining gave Augusta its largest lead of the night at 13, but USCB went on a 9-4 over the next three-plus minutes fueled by Premo's five points, making it a six-point game. The Sand Sharks cut the lead to as little as five after Taniyah Bowman picked up a steal and flew to the basket for two, but Beaufort was on the wrong side of the clock as the comeback fell just seven points short. 

"We showed our grit and had some growing pains but pleased with the outcome." 

The Sand Sharks head to Morrow, Georgia Saturday for its first PBC road game against Clayton State. The Lakers dropped its PBC opener not North Georgia 73-55 Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon and can be seen live on the PBC Sports Network.