GREENWOOD, S.C. – Avonte Williams led four USC Aiken players in double figures with 15 points, helping the Lady Pacers to a 71-58 victory over Lander in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball Saturday night at Horne Arena.

The Aiken victory spoiled a big night for Lander's Tara Nyikavaranda, who scored a career-high 21 points. Aiken improved to 7-8 overall and 3-5 in the Peach Belt. The Lady Bearcats fell to 4-10, 0-7.

Nyikavaranda hit 9-of-10 shots from the floor and also had six rebounds and four blocked shots. The 6-foot-2 center had achieved double-doubles in seven of her previous eight games but fell short Saturday. Nyikavaranda's previous career high was 17 points at Georgia College and State University on Jan. 18.

Megan Starnes and Mindy Allee had 12 points apiece for Aiken while Satu Leppanen added 10 points. Allee led the Lady Pacers with nine assists while Kendra Chandler had a team-high eight rebounds.

Shaquanta Glaze had 14 points for Lander, Jennifer Hukill added 11 points, and Lashaundra Dubose dished out nine assists.

USC Aiken had a double-figure lead throughout the second half, extending a 37-21 halftime edge to as many as 19 points at 55-36 on a basket by Williams.

The Lady Bearcats tried to make a run, getting a three-point play from Nyikavaranda and a basket from Shatora Irby to pull within 56-45 at the 8:15 mark. But Aiken turned away the challenge, building its lead back to 16, 67-51, on an Allee 3-pointer with 4:30 to go.

USC Aiken closed the first half with a 17-5 run over the last eight minutes and led 37-21 at halftime. Glaze converted a three-point play to pull Lander within 18-14 with 9:01 left and Nyikavaranda's basket cut it to 20-16. But the Lady Pacers scored 11 unanswered points including a 3-pointer by Starnes and two baskets from Leppanen including a reverse layup to make it 31-16. Aiken hit 6-of-11 shots from 3-point range in the first half, with Meredith Legg hitting 3-of-6.

For the game, Lander shot 41 percent from the floor (21-for-51), 80 percent from the free-throw line (12-for-15), and 25 percent from 3-point range (4-for-16). Aiken hit 44 percent from the floor (27-for-61), 91 percent from the stripe (10-for-11), and 47 percent from behind the arc (7-for-15). Aiken out-rebounded Lander 41-25.