AIKEN, S.C. | Meredith Tarver scored 23 points, including 19 in the second half, to lead Young Harris College past the University of South Carolina Aiken 55-44 in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Saturday (Jan. 30) afternoon at the Convocation Center.
 
The Mountain Lions improved to 9-10 overall and to 4-8 in the Peach Belt while the Pacers fell to 8-13 and 3-9. Young Harris returns to the YHC Basketball Arena Wednesday (Feb. 3) at 5:30 p.m. for its annual Purple Out game against cross-mountain rival University of North Georgia.
 
USC Aiken scored nine unanswered points to take its largest lead of the game (22-17) on a three-pointer by Alexis Ware with 1:41 remaining in the second quarter. The Pacers held Young Harris to just seven points in the second quarter as they took a 24-20 lead at halftime.
 
The Mountain Lions battled back to tie the game at 35 on a short jumper by Rachel Harrell with 1:43 to play in the third quarter. Young Harris took a 38-35 lead into the fourth quarter as Harrell nailed a three-pointer with 20 second remaining in the period. After the Pacers tied the game at 38, Tarver sank a three-pointer to give Young Harris the lead for good at 41-38 with 8:00 remaining.
 
Young Harris pushed its lead out to six points (46-40) on free throws from Harrell and Jenny Vernet and a jumper by Tarver with 4:53 to play. USC Aiken got as close as 46-44 after Ware hit a three-pointer with 1:41 left; however, it would be the final point scored by the Pacers.
 
Tarver scored the next five points on a three-pointer and two free throws to open up a 51-44 lead with 50 seconds to go. Young Harris, which sank 11 of 12 free throws in the game, salted the game away as Sara Jorgensen and Jasmine Knight hit two free throws each over the final 35 seconds.

"We played great as a team today," said Young Harris head coach Matt Stearsman. "We executed well and we played together. It was our first road win in the PBC and we had to overcome a little adversity. I'm very proud of this group. We had some great individual performances today, but this was a team win. Fifty-22 (advantage) on the glass is toughness and that was a collective effort."
 
Tarver was 5-of-7 from the three-point range for her 23 points while she grabbed seven rebounds. Vernet picked up a double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. Harrell added nine points for the Mountain Lions. Knight only scored two points but grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out eight assists. Young Harris doubled the Pacers in rebounding as Young Harris held a 50-22 advantage.
 
Ware was the only USC Aiken player in double figures with 13 points.