YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.  |  Antonio Wade scored a team-high 20 points as Young Harris College defeated the University of South Carolina-Aiken 83-81 in overtime in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Saturday (Jan. 27) afternoon on homecoming at the YHC Basketball Arena. 

The Mountain Lions improved to 6-13 overall and 5-8 in the PBC while the Pacers fell to 10-7 and 7-6. Young Harris returns to action Wednesday (Jan. 31) as they host Clayton State University in a 7:30 p.m. PBC contest at the YHC Basketball Arena. 

Young Harris sent the game into the extra time as Wade hit the front end of two free throws to tie the score at 71 with 19.4 seconds remaining. 

The Mountain Lions used back-to-back layups by Corey Nelson and Wade in overtime to open up a 75-71. The Pacers battled back and took a 78-77 lead with 73 seconds left on a Doniel Dean layup. Young Harris would take the lead for good on a rare five-point play from Ben Waterhouse. Waterhouse got a steal and a layup with 31 seconds remaining. Waterhouse was fouled on the play and sank the free throw. Waterhouse added two more free throws when a technical foul was accessed on the Pacer bench and the Mountain Lions opened up an 82-78 lead.

Paris Ballinger got the Pacers within a point (82-81) after he sank a three-pointer from the top of the key six seconds later. Nicksen Blanc hit one of two free throws to give YHC an 83-81 lead with 23 seconds to go. USC Aiken had two shots in the final 10 seconds to tie the game, but couldn't get either shot to fall.

"I thought we grinded out the win tonight," said YHC head coach Pete Herrmann. "We had advantages tonight in points off turnovers (27-18), second chance points (15-7) and rebounding (50-45). Also was good to see Corey and Nicksen with double doubles tonight."

The Mountain Lions started off the game on a 17-4 run over the first 8:23. Young Harris took its largest lead of the game at 19-6 after two Wade free throws with 11:11 left. USC Aiken went on a 16-6 over the next four minutes and 50 seconds to bring the score within two (28-26). Wade scored seven of the last nine points in the first half for the Mountain Lions, including a three-pointer with six seconds left in the half. Henry Bolton III made a pair of free throws for USC Aiken with one second left as Young Harris took a 37-33 halftime lead.

The Pacers tied the game at 42 after a three-pointer by Markus Terry at the 15:38 mark in the second half. USC Aiken took a seven point lead (58-51) after a Ballinger layup by with 9:53 left. Young Harris tied the game at 60 after a layup by J.B. Charles at the 7:29 mark. The Mountain Lions regained the lead (63-62) from a three-pointer by Greg Murphy with 6:59 left in the second half.

Wade added six rebounds and five assists for the Mountain Lions. Nelson had a double double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Blanc added a double double of his own with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Waterhouse finished with 16 points, four assists and six rebounds and Charles tallied 10 points and five rebounds. 

Dean scored a game-high 35 points, had four assists and four rebounds for the Pacers before fouling out. Bolton III added 19 points, four assists and five rebounds. Terry tallied 13 points and Ballinger ended with 12 points.