USC Aiken pulls off upset

COLUMBUS, Ga. -USC Aiken's women's team upset Peach Belt Conference preseason favorite Columbus State 75-66 at Lumpkin Center on Wednesday night.

The Lady Pacers (5-5, 1-2 Peach Belt) got career highs in points from three different players: Satu Leppanen (21), Meredith Legg (20) and Jordon Thomas (9).

The victory was the first in Columbus since 1993 for the Lady Pacers and was the first in Lumpkin Center. The victory also snapped a six-game losing streak for the Lady Pacers against the Lady Cougars (8-5, 1-2).

Legg got USC Aiken off to a strong start with a 3-pointer at 15:48 which kicked off a 10-0 run that gave the Lady Pacers an early 21-10 advantage.

The Lady Cougars tied it at 32 but a 13-4 run sparked by Megan Starnes gave the Lady Pacers a 45-36 lead at halftime.

Columbus State got the lead to within two with 8:40 left but Legg and Leppanen helped build the lead back to 12 with a 10-0 run and the Lady Cougars never got within eight the rest of the way.

CLEMSON MEN 61, FLORIDA STATE 55

In Clemson, S.C., Clemson made 10 of 16 free throw attempts in the final seven and a half minutes to hang on to beat Florida State in the conference opener for both teams.

Clemson, 12-2 overall and 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, snapped a two-game losing streak.

The loss drops Florida State to 9-2, 0-1 and ends the Seminoles' seven-game winning streak.

The Tigers scored just five field goals in the second half, one in the final 13:30, but still managed to pull out its fourth victory in its last five games against Florida State.

Clemson shot just 22 percent from the field in the second half (5-for-23) and finished the game at 36 percent.

The Tigers also snapped another losing streak. Before Wednesday night, Clemson had lost seven consecutive ACC openers.

Shawn Robinson led Clemson with 12 points. Robinson also had five rebounds.