Jan. 28, 2009

South Carolina vs. LSU | 7 p.m.

| Live Audio | Game Notes

Last Time Out
Senior C.J. Pace netted a career-high 19 points but could not drive South Carolina past No. 17/18 Vanderbilt Sunday afternoon as the Gamecocks fell 66-56 at Colonial Life Arena. Carolina played the Commodores even in the second half and out-rebounded its opponents 40-38, including 14 offensive boards. Pace fell one rebound shy of her second double-double of the season, tying with freshman Miranda Tate for team-high honors with nine caroms.

Series Notes
LSU leads the series 17-3 and has won the last 11 meetings. The last South Carolina victory was a 76-61 decision on Feb. 26, 1998, in the first round of the SEC Tournament, played that year in Columbus, Ga. The Gamecocks are 2-8 against the Lady Tigers in games played in Columbia. Carolina’s last home victory over LSU was a 90-82 outcome on Jan. 15, 1994. An unranked Lady Tiger team has not played the Gamecocks since Feb. 17, 2002, although LSU still came out on top in that contest 72-62 in Baton Rouge. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is 0-2 against LSU with both losses coming while at Temple. The most recent loss was a 65-51 Temple defeat to then-No. 2 LSU on Nov. 23, 2004, in Philadelphia.

Injury Report
Senior Brionna Dickerson suffered a right knee injury against Vanderbilt on Sunday. She will be out at least two weeks, at which point she will be re-evaluated. Senior Demetress Adams is out for the season after suffering a right knee injury at Ole Miss on Jan. 22.

A South Carolina Win Would …
• Be the Gamecocks’ first home SEC win of the season.
• Be the Gamecocks’ first over LSU since a 76-61 decision in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Feb. 26, 1998, and would end an 11-game skid to the Lady Tigers.
• Be head coach Dawn Staley’s first over LSU in three career tries.

Ticket Information
Season tickets are available at two prices. Fans who purchase four season tickets qualify for the Family 4-Pack pricing at $100. Fans who purchase fewer than four pay the full price of $50 per season ticket. Single-game tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for youth (18 and under). For more information or to order tickets, contact the South Carolina Ticket Office toll free at 800-4SC-FANS or locally at 803-777-4274. Fans can also order tickets via the athletics web site, GamecocksOnline.com.

Think Pink!
South Carolina is one of numerous teams around the country participating in the WBCA’s 2009 Pink Zone Week, which begins Feb. 13. A global, unified effort to help raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond, schools are participating in various ways. For the Gamecocks, the initiative began on Jan. 15 when the first 150 Carolina fans at the Florida game received a Pink Zone piggy bank, courtesy of Firehouse Subs, in which to collect spare change to donate to the Kay Yow/WBCA Breast Cancer Fund on Sun., Feb. 8. The first 500 fans that bring their banks to Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 8 will receive a South Carolina Women’s Basketball Pink Zone t-shirt.

The Gold Standard
While head coach Dawn Staley has become synonymous with Olympic gold, the entire South Carolina coaching staff boasts a wealth of experience and achievement. Including assistant coaches Lisa Boyer, Carla McGhee and Nikki McCray, the Gamecock women’s basketball staff has combined for 39 years of coaching experience, 29 years of playing professionally in the United States, seven Olympic gold medals and two NCAA National Championships.

Sending Out an SOS
Through games of Jan. 28, South Carolina is ranked ninth in the nation in strength of schedule (SOS). In the SEC, only Tennessee (1) has played a tougher schedule than the Gamecocks so far this season. The other teams ahead of Carolina are Oklahoma, UConn, Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois, Texas Tech and Stanford, respectively. The Gamecocks’ RPI of 60 slots in behind Tennessee (4), Auburn (7), Florida (16), LSU (43), Mississippi State (45), Kentucky (48) and Vanderbilt (59) in the SEC.

Student and Teacher
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is facing another mentor tonight in Hall of Fame coach Van Chancellor. LSU’s second-year head coach was the head coach of the 2004 Olympic Team, on which Staley earned her third and final gold medal as a player. Chancellor also coached Staley during her two seasons with the WNBA’s Houston Comets. Earlier this season, Staley coached against her first Olympic Team coach, Tara VanDerveer, who is at Stanford.

Wiping the Glass
Freshman guard Charenee Stephens has been the Gamecocks’ leading rebounder in two of the last three games – 11 boards at Tennessee and 12 at Ole Miss – and has catapulted into the top 15 in rebounding in SEC play. Her 6.4 boards per outing in league play is 12th-best in the SEC. Her 12-rebound outing at Ole Miss is the eighth-best single-game output by a player in an SEC vs. SEC contest this season. She is one of just two freshmen and three total underclassmen (freshman or sophomore) to make the list. Arkansas’ Ceira Ricketts has the best rebounding game by a freshman in league play this season, grabbing 13 against Auburn. Kentucky sophomore Victoria Dunlap has two entries on the list – 13 against Mississippi State and 12 at Alabama.

Flashy Frosh
Freshman guard Lakeisha Sutton is the Gamecocks’ third-leading scorer on the season and has stamped her name among the SEC’s top freshmen. She made her league debut with 17 points against No. 9/8 Auburn then went to Georgia and netted 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Sutton was a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range at No. 13/15 Tennessee en route to nine points and handed out a career-high seven assists at Ole Miss. So far in SEC play, Sutton averages 12.5 points to rank 15th in the league, fourth among SEC freshmen. She is also among the SEC’s top 15 in assists per game (4.0, 9th), free throw percentage (.741, 10th), steals per game (1.7, 11th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.8, 14th) through the first six conference games.

Brionna’s Boom
Senior Brionna Dickerson has established herself as one of the premier scorers in the SEC, sitting in 10th place in the league at 13.4 points per game, highlighted by a career-high 31 points at Ole Miss on Jan. 22. She has reached double-figure points in all but four games this season and has scored 15 or more points 10 times, including five SEC contests. Earlier this season, Dickerson put together a similar three-game stretch that included both games of the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic and yielded Tournament MVP honors. In SEC play, Dickerson ranks third in the league with 18.2 points per game and is the league’s most prolific 3-point shooter, hitting 43.2 percent from behind the arc (19-of-44) in her first six games and 3.2 3-point field goals made per game. Dickerson’s 40.2 field goal percentage in league play is 11th-best in the conference, and her 76.2 percent free throw accuracy is ninth-best.

Closing Statement from the D.A.
Following her season-ending knee injury at Ole Miss, senior Demetress Adams was the SEC’s fifth-best rebounder at 7.2 boards per game and the 24th-highest scorer with 10.7 points per outing. She netted double-figure points 11 times, including eight games of 14 or more, highlighted by 19 against Charlotte and 17 against No. 9/8 Auburn in just 20 minutes on the floor. Adams put together four double-doubles this season as well. Adams closed her Gamecock career averaging 8.7 points and 6.6 rebounds. While she fell just 23 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point plateau, she ranks among the program’s all-time top 10 in four career categories – blocked shots (140, 3rd), field goal percentage (.535, 8th), offensive rebounds (274, 4th) and defensive rebounds (462, 4th). She was an All-SEC selection in 2007-08 in a break-out junior season that saw her average career highs in both points (10.9 ppg) and rebounds (8.9 rpg). Adams recorded 16 double-doubles in her career, and the Gamecocks were 13-3 in those outings. She reached double-figure points 36 times during the last four years and grabbed double-digit rebounds 23 times. Carolina has a winning record in both those situations, 31-15 and 16-7 respectively. Adams was the team’s leading rebounder 45 times in her career and leading scorer in 15 games.

In Colonial Times
While the Gamecocks’ home court may have taken on a new name, South Carolina continues to enjoy a decisive advantage in Colonial Life Arena. Despite a loss in the 2008-09 home opener, South Carolina has won 64.5 percent (71-39) of its games at the facility. The Gamecocks won a high of 15 games in the building in the 2006-07 season and lost a record-low two games in 16 home contests in 2002-03. In non-conference games, South Carolina has a 53-11 record in Colonial Life Arena for a .828 winning percentage.

Judging January
The Gamecocks are 163-163 all-time in the month of January. South Carolina’s best record in the first month of the year came in the 1979-80 season when the Gamecocks were 10-1. In January, Carolina is 99-68 at home, 50-86 on the road and a perfect 4-0 at a neutral site (17 games in the Gamecock history books do not indicate the site of the contest, during which Carolina is 9-8.) The Gamecocks are 2-5 so far in their schedule of eight January games this season.

The Adams Family
Senior Demetress Adams (Bishopville, S.C./Lee Central) suffered a season-ending knee injury at Ole Miss on Jan. 22 … is eighth in the SEC with 7.2 rebounds per game … is second on the team and ranks 23rd in the SEC with 10.7 points per game … is 12th in the league in blocked shots (1.2 per game) … recorded four double-doubles and was the team’s leading rebounder seven times in the 18 games she played … scored in double figures 10 times in 18 games, including eight games of 14 or more points … tied her season high with three blocks at No. 13/15 Tennessee while adding nine points and eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end … narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds against No. 19 Florida, adding a pair of blocked shots as well … moved into third place on the school career blocked shot list with her block at Georgia, giving her 133 in her career … scored 17 points in just 20 foul-plagued minutes against No. 9/8 Auburn.

What Do You Serve With Brie?
Senior Brionna Dickerson (Columbia, S.C./Heathwood Hall) is out at least two weeks with a knee injury suffered against Vanderbilt on Jan. 25 … leads the team and ranks 10th in the SEC with 13.4 points per game … is third in the league with 33.3 minutes played per game and 12th in 3-point fields made at 1.6 per game … has been the team’s leading scorer nine times and reached double-figure points in 15 games … averages 18.2 points in SEC play, third-best in the league … is the SEC’s top 3-point shooter in league play, scoring 3.2 triples per game and shooting at a 43.2 percent clip … also ranks among the league’s elite with a .402 field goal percentage (11th) and .762 free throw percentage (9th) in league play … hit a 3-pointer against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt before leaving the game with a right knee injury … netted a career-high 31 points at Ole Miss, including 21 in the second half, with a career-high tying five 3-pointers and shooting a career-best 6-of-6 from the free throw line … hit four 3-pointers, one off her career high, en route to a game-high 17 points at No. 13/15 Tennessee … netted a season-high 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds against No. 19 Florida … scored 19 points at Georgia, her second-straight game at that number, hitting three 3-pointers … paced the squad with 19 points, including 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range, against No. 9/8 Auburn.

You Can Call Me Cocoa
Sophomore Lauren Falohun (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) averages 3.4 points and 1.4 assists … played a career-high 28 minutes and scored six points against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt … added five points off the bench at Ole Miss … hit her first bucket in SEC play, a 3-pointer, against No. 19 Florida.

The Kennedy Legacy
Sophomore Samone Kennedy (Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay) has started the last 12 games … leads the team with 2.7 assists per game … is 10th in the SEC with 3.8 assists per game and a 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio in league play … led the team with three assists to go with five points against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt … handed out four assists at Ole Miss … tied her season high with seven assists at No. 13/15 Tennessee … added 11 points, including a 3-pointer early in the game, and dished three assists against No. 19 Florida … handed out three assists and swiped two steals to go with six points at Georgia … played the full 40 minutes for the first time in her career against No. 9/8 Auburn, handing out three assists against just one turnover and scoring seven points.

Jewel of the Nile
Sophomore Jewel May (Conyers, Ga./Heritage) will wear jersey number 24 for the rest of the season in honor of senior Demetress Adams, who is out for the season with an injury … has grabbed 5.7 rebounds per game to go with 5.1 points per outing … has led the team in rebounding five times this season … grabbed six rebounds against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt … tied her career high with two blocked shots at No. 13/15 Tennessee and pulled down three offensive rebounds … grabbed a game-high eight rebounds at Georgia, including four on the offensive end … added six points and five rebounds, including three offensive, against No. 9/8 Auburn despite playing just 26 minutes due to foul trouble.

A Newton of Force
Redshirt freshman Courtney Newton (Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch) has played in 13 games after missing the first two games with a right knee injury … averages 1.5 points and 1.9 rebounds … poured in 10 points, including a 3-pointer in the last second of the first half, and grabbed a career-high five rebounds at Ole Miss … hit the only shot she took, a 3-pointer, against No. 19 Florida.

Set the Pace
Senior C.J. Pace (Snellville, Ga./Chipola College) averages 5.7 points and 6.6 rebounds, 20th-best in the SEC on the boards … scored a career-high 19 points against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt and narrowly missed her second double-double of the season with a game-high tying nine rebounds, including a career-high five on the offensive end … grabbed eight rebounds, including a career-high four on the offensive end, and handed out a career-high three assists against No. 19 Florida … led the team with seven rebounds and scored six points against No. 9/8 Auburn.

CSI: Columbia
Freshman Charenee Stephens (Decatur, Ga./Southwest DeKalb) has played in every game since making her season debut on Dec. 28 after sitting out the first 10 games for personal reasons … recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds at Ole Miss … led the team with a career-high 11 rebounds, including five offensive, at No. 13/15 Tennessee while tying her career high with six points … scored a season-high six points against No. 19 Florida, going 3-of-4 from the field … netted four points and matched her season high with four rebounds at Georgia, playing 19 minutes … scored her first career points with a pair of baskets against No. 9/8 Auburn while adding three rebounds to the effort.

Jersey Girl
Freshman Lakeisha Sutton (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) is the team’s third-highest scorer with 9.7 points per game … is 11th in the SEC with a .671 free throw percentage … has scored in double figures nine times, including four games with 15 or more points … is second on the team with 12.5 points per game in SEC play to rank 15th in the league (fourth among SEC freshmen) … has handed out 4.0 assists per game against SEC opponents, ninth-best in the league … just missed reaching double figures for the 10th time this season with nine point against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt … posted career highs of seven rebounds and seven assists at Ole Miss to go with 15 points … hit 3-of-3 from 3-point range at No. 13/15 Tennessee, just the third time in school history a freshman has shot that well from behind the arc … tied her season-high with five assists against No. 19 Florida, scoring seven points as well … sparked the offense late to finish with 18 points at Georgia, hitting 6-of-7 field goals to tie for fourth-best field goal percentage by a freshman in school history … poured in 17 points against No. 9/8 Auburn, including hitting 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

Miranda Rights
Freshman Miranda Tate (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) is scoring 3.3 points and grabbing 2.2 rebounds per game … tied for game-high honors with a career-high nine rebounds against No. 17/18 Vanderbilt, playing just 15 minutes … also shot a career-best 75.0 percent (3-of-4) from the field for seven points against the Commodores … added a bucket at Georgia.

T Time
Freshman Tonia Williams (Warner Robins, Ga./Houston County) has come off the bench in five games this season.