AIKEN --- Lander proved wrong the old cliche that it's hard to beat a team three times in a season.

USC Aiken missed two shots in the final nine seconds and fell 68-67 on Thursday night in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinals at the USC Aiken Convocation Center.

Lander (20-11) advances to play top seed Francis Marion in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Saturday.

"How we won three games against them I'm not sure," Lander coach Kevin Pederson said. "(USC Aiken coach Mike Brandt) kids have a lot of heart."

USC Aiken (20-8), No. 9 in the South Atlantic Region, needed a win for any chance at making the Division II Tournament.

"We probably have a 1 or 2 percent chance of continuing," Brandt said. "I told our players to keep their hopes alive. I think we're a really good basketball team."

The Lady Pacers, one of five Peach Belt Conference co- champions along with Lander, suffered its third defeat in 16 games at home. Two of those losses came to the Lady Bearcats.

USC Aiken trailed by as many as 16 in the second half but pulled to within six with 50 seconds left and later closed within one.

"To be able to come back on them like that showed an enormous amount of heart," Brandt said.

Lander's LaShonda Chiles set the NCAA Division II career scoring record in the first half. She finished with 14 points for a career total of 2,820.

Lander dominated on the glass, winning the battle, 28-15. USC Aiken shot 33 percent from the field for its largest halftime deficit of the season, 40-27.

"They shot lights out," Brandt said. "We shot poorly."

With the Lady Pacers down 1, Jordon Thomas took the ball inside but got blocked by Stephanie Ponds. Avonte Williams then drove down the right side of the lane but missed the layup. A mad dash ensued for the loose ball and Chiles came away the board and got fouled with 2.9 seconds left.

Chiles missed the front end of the 1-and-1 and Williams grabbed the board. She tried to push the ball ahead to Megan Starnes, but time ran out.

"We had a chance to win at the end," Brandt said. "And in a tournament like this that's all you want."