YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.  |  Eryn Cochran and Briana Bell each scored 14 points as they led Young Harris College past the University of South Carolina-Aiken 69-51 in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Saturday (Jan. 27) afternoon for homecoming at the YHC Basketball Arena.

The Mountain Lions improved to 8-12 overall and 5-8 in the PBC while the Pacers fell to 5-14 and 2-11. Young Harris returns to action Wednesday (Jan. 31) as they host Clayton State University in a 5:30 p.m. PBC contest.

The Mountain Lions had trouble through the first 4:38, only scoring once. Young Harris would then go on a 15-7 run to end the first quarter as the Mountain Lions took a 17-11. Bell scored six of her 12 points in the first quarter, as she went 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Cochran scored five of her 14 points in the second quarter. Young Harris held a halftime lead of 31-24. 

Both teams went neck-and-neck in the third quarter as they each scored 18 points to keep it at a seven-point game (49-42). Ge'Naisha Robinson scored 10 of her 13 points in the third quarter for the Mountain Lions, as she went 4-of-4 from the floor and made 2-of-3 free throws. Young Harris shot 60 percent from the floor in the third quarter and held USC Aiken to 43.8 percent. The Mountain Lions would break away in the fourth quarter, as they ended the game on a 19-7 run over the last 6:42. Cochran scored nine points in the fourth quarter for Young Harris, going 2-of-3 from the floor and hit all four free throw attempts.. 

"I thought we started a little slow today and I subbed five out and five in," said YHC head coach Matt Stearsman. "That second five went in and played really well. The story today was about our seniors. Every single one of them were terrific. If they didn't score they had rebounds, if they didn't have rebounds they had assists. Those six were great. Once again I thought Ge'Naisha was terrific. She's getting better and better every time she plays. When they tied it in the third quarter we showed maturity and looked like a veteran team."

The Mountain Lions shot 41.8 percent for the game and held the Pacers to 29 percent.

Cochran added seven rebounds.  Robinson added 13 points and five rebounds, while Sarah Garner picked up 11 points and six rebounds.

Marissa Bruce scored a game-high 17 points for USC Aiken ad grabbed six rebounds and Kyrie Chandler tallied 16 points and four rebounds. Sade Johnson added nine rebounds.