COLUMBUS -- USCB men's basketball's Cinderella run in the PBC tournament came to an end Sunday afternoon inside the Frank G. Lumpkin Center, as the Sand Sharks fell to rival USC Aiken 92-76. The sharp three-point shooting from the previous game didn't carry over as hoped, with USCB converting just 9-of-35 from beyond the arc. Despite the loss, the Sand Sharks capped just their second season with a historic tournament run, finishing with a 21-10 record and victories over two top-25 teams.
Dominic Eason led USCB with 22 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field, including four three-pointers. Kevaughn Price added 12 points, making all three of his three-point attempts, while Kenney Gains contributed 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Beaufort's bench provided a strong spark, tallying 21 points from multiple contributors.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle featuring 10 ties and nine lead changes. USCB struck first with a three-pointer from Price in the opening minute. The Sand Sharks built a 7-2 lead before USC Aiken responded with a 7-0 run of its own. Eason kept USCB competitive, knocking down key shots, including a deep three at the 14:30 mark to tie the game at 12. However, late in the first half, the Pacers seized momentum, closing on a 9-2 run to take a 43-36 lead into halftime.
Coming out of the break, USCB fought to cut into the deficit, with Gains converting a layup and Eason sinking another three-pointer. But USC Aiken answered with a dominant 12-3 run, pushing its lead into double digits. Jalen McCoy and Davion Cunningham led the Pacers' offense, with McCoy finishing with 22 points and Cunningham adding 20.
The Sand Sharks made one final push midway through the second half, trimming the deficit to seven following a Price three-pointer with 10:49 remaining. However, USC Aiken's size and efficiency at the free-throw line (26-of-39) proved too much, as they pulled away late to secure the victory.
Eason and Gains were named to the all-tournament team, making USCB the only program with two players receiving the honor.
