BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort faced the University of South Carolina Aiken Saturday afternoon, as the Sand Sharks closed out an 83-59 victory to complete the two-game season sweep over the Pacers.
USCB improves to 11-7 on the season with an 8-3 Peach Belt Conference record, while USCA falls to 6-13 overall and 3-8 in conference play.
The Sand Sharks were led by Lydia Gattozzi with 21 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. She was one of four Sand Sharks to score in double figures, joined by Izellah Kendrick, Taniyah Bowman, and Janiyah Heyward. Heyward finished with a double-double scoring 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Madison Self was the first to score for the Sand Sharks, evening the score at two in the opening minute. Bowman followed with four straight points before Heyward scored to give USCB its first lead of the afternoon. In a back-and-forth opening quarter, points from Kendrick, Carolina Coria, and Jada Young helped the Sand Sharks build their largest lead of the quarter at 18-13. USCB shot 50 percent from the field while forcing six Pacer turnovers. USCA hit a layup in the closing seconds as the Sand Sharks led 18-15 after the first quarter.
To start the second quarter, Kendrick attacked the basket and finished the layup while drawing the foul to complete the three-point play. The Pacers used an 8-0 run to regain the lead at 23-21 early in the quarter before Gattozzi ended the run to push the Sand Sharks back in front, 24-23. USCB responded with an 8-0 run of its own, highlighted by Brianna Pelote scoring her first points of the game. The Sand Sharks closed the second quarter on a 14-3 run over the final five minutes, holding the Pacers to 1-of-9 shooting while forcing three turnovers. USCB stretched the lead to 35-26 heading into halftime.
Bowman extended the Sand Sharks' lead to double digits for the first time at 37-26 one minute into the second half. USCB opened the third quarter on a 17-4 run to build a 22-point advantage. Gattozzi scored six points and Kendrick added five during the run as the Sand Sharks shot 60 percent from the field. Defensively, USCB held Aiken to 0-of-7 shooting while forcing three more turnovers. The Sand Sharks maintained a 20-point lead for most of the quarter before USCA closed the period on an 8-1 run, cutting the lead to 57-44 after three.
The Sand Sharks began the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, using balanced scoring over the first 2:30 of the final period while holding USCA to 0-of-3 shooting. The lead grew to 66-44 following a Kendrick putback layup off an offensive rebound. The closest the Pacers would get the rest of the way was 17, but a Gattozzi three-pointer off an assist from Heyward pushed the lead back to 22. Ellen Meyer scored the final four points for USCB after a steal led to a fast-break driving layup, sealing the 83-59 victory.
The Sand Sharks forced 16 turnovers in the win, and the 83 points scored marked their highest total of the season.
USCB returns to the road Wednesday evening at Augusta on January 28, with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The Sand Sharks' next home game is Saturday, January 31, at 1:30 p.m. against Lander University.
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