HICKORY, N.C. - Emily Harman notched a double-double with 20 points and 12 boards as Lenoir-Rhyne opened the season with a 68-62 victory over USC Aiken on Saturday night inside Shuford Gymnasium.

GAME INFORMATION:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 68, USC-Aiken 62
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (1-0) I USC-Aiken (0-1)
Location: Shuford Gym

STATS AND INFO:

• This game is part of the SAC/Peach Belt Crossover featuring these two teams plus Lander and Carson-Newman. This is the third season these four teams have met to kick off the year. 
• This is the first time LR has opened the season at home since the 2017-18 season where they hosted the SAC/Conference Carolinas Tip-Off Classic. 
• This is the Bears second straight win over USC-Aiken. LR defeated the Pacers 82-70 in the crossover in 2019. 
• Today was the first basketball game in Shuford Gym since the renovations from the summer.
• The Bears are now 32-27-1 in season openers. 

FIRST HALF:

• Both teams struggled in the opening quarter with Aiken hitting 28.6 percent from the field and LR shooting just 26.7 percent.
• LR would heat up in the second quarter, hitting 47.6 percent of their shots. 
• Harman had 14 of her 20 points in the first half and had nine boards at the break. 
• Megan Landsiedel had 10 points in just eight minutes of action and went 4-of-5 from the field and 2-for-3 from long range.
• Chidinma Okafor had 10 points for the Pacers.
• LR would grab a 37-25 lead after 20 minutes of action.

SECOND HALF:

• The Pacers rallied back with a 22-11 edge in the third quarter to tie the game at 47 going into the fourth quarter.
• LR's defense would tighten in the fourth quarter as Aiken went just 5-of-17 from the field while LR was 5-of-12.
• The Bears would use a 13-0 run capped by a Harman bucket to grab a 61-49 advantage. 
• Aiken would rally to pull within five late in the game but wouldn't get any closer.

ABOUT THE BEARS:

• This is the third career double-double for Harman in just her 18th career game.
• Blaikley Crooks had 13 points on the night, one shy of tying her career high.
• LR kicked off its 60th season in program history.
• Landsiedel also added 13 points in her LR debut.
• Maddie Dillinger had 10 points off the bench and had five rebounds.

NOTABLE PACERS:

• Okafor finished with 20 points and added nine boards and four blocked shots.
• Jentri Worley totaled 18 points and six rebounds with a pair of assists.
• Grace Crawford had seven points and Allycia Harris totaled seven boards. 
• Aiken shot 23-of-63 on the night and were outrebounded 47-42.  

UP NEXT: Day two of the crossover tomorrow features the Bears taking on No. 3 Lander. Tip-off is schedule for 1:00 PM.