Jan. 30, 2008

Game Notes

Last Time Out
Three times South Carolina watched game-winning or tying shots fall short in a 60-57 loss to Florida Sunday afternoon at the Colonial Center. After rallying back from a 17-point deficit early in the second half, the Gamecocks had two looks to tie or go ahead with10 seconds left, then saw Jordan Jones’ potentially game-tying 3-pointer sail through the net but only just after time had expired. It was an 18-4 first-half run that put the Gators up big early only to have the Gamecocks, for the third-straight game, claw back to make it a nail-biter down the stretch.

Series Notes
LSU leads the series 16-3 and has won the last 10 meetings, including last year’s narrow 49-46 escape at the Colonial Center. The last South Carolina victory was a 76-61 decision on Feb. 26, 1998, in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The Gamecocks are 2-8 against the Lady Tigers in Columbia.

Injury Report

• Senior forward Lakesha Tolliver has been out since Jan. 6 due to exertional headaches but is listed as probable for tonight after practicing this week.
• Freshman Courtney Newton underwent season-ending knee surgery on Fri., Jan. 11. She originally suffered the injury on Nov. 23 against Illinois and had been rehabbing in an effort to return to the court this season. It was eventually decided that surgery was the best decision for her long term.

Suddenly Susan
Head coach Susan Walvius is in her 11th season as the Gamecocks’ mentor with a 160-153 record. She has led South Carolina to two NCAA Tournaments and two WNITs, including an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2001-02. Her players have also excelled in the classroom. In 2006-07, 10 Gamecocks appeared on the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll. In the last four years, South Carolina has placed more student-athletes on that list than any other school. Walvius has an 18-year career mark of 258-254.

A South Carolina Win Would …

• Be the program’s first over a team ranked in the top 25 since a 79-61 victory over No. 14 Minnesota on Dec. 13, 2005.
• Be the Gamecocks’ first road win over a nationally ranked team since they knocked off No. 17 Vanderbilt 66-57 on Jan. 16, 2003 in Nashville.
• Be its first over a top-10 team since a 71-52 upset of No. 6 Vanderbilt on Jan. 3, 2002 in Columbia.
• Be the Gamecocks’ first over LSU since Feb. 26, 1998.
• Improve Susan Walvius’ SEC regular-season record to 48-98.

Tour de Four-ce
After a 2006-07 season that ended with no Gamecocks averaging double-figure points, four players are currently at the mark this season. Freshman Jordan Jones leads the way with 13.0 ppg, while junior forward Demetress Adams is second at 11.3 ppg. Junior guard Brionna Dickerson is scoring 10.7 ppg, and senior Ilona Burgrova rounds out the quartet at 10.1 ppg. Senior Lakesha Tolliver is bidding to join the group as she averages 9.7 points.

Stop! Thief!
Junior Demetress Adams is third in the SEC and 47th in the nation with 2.70 steals per game. Hovering around the league’s elite in the category, she has picked an opponent’s pocket four times or more in six games this season, including a career-high six steals at Clemson on Dec. 22. Nationally, Adams trails Delaware’s Kyle DeHaven’s NCAA-best 4.5 swipes per game, while Ashley Houts of Georgia leads the SEC at 3.1. With 54 steals this season, Adams has already surpassed her previous career-best of 52 steals, which she collected last season. She has a long way to go to get to Katrina Anderson’s school-record 126 in 1978-79.

It’s a Block Party!
Through games of Jan. 27, South Carolina was 10th in the nation with 5.60 blocked shots per game, a number that is second in the SEC to Tennessee’s 6.47 per game. Both teams trail North Carolina’s NCAA-best 7.5 blocks per game.

From Way Downtown – Bang!
Freshman Jordan Jones is ninth in the nation with an SEC-leading 2.90 3-pointers per game. She is 45th in the country and third in the SEC with 40.3 percent accuracy from behind the arc. Robert Morris’ Sade Logan leads the nation with 3.8 3-point field goals per game, while Sonya Rogers of Montana is the country’s most efficient 3-point shooter at 47.8 percent. Karen Middleton holds the South Carolina record for 3-point field goal percentage by a freshman after hitting 43.4 percent (75-of-163) in 1987-88. Middleton holds the four best 3-point percentages in school history, including the record 46.9 percent (76-of-162), which she set as a junior in 1989-90.

Lies, Lies and Statistics
South Carolina both out-shot and out-rebounded No. 2 Tennessee on Jan. 13, but could not overcome 30 turnovers to take the loss. It was the first time this season that the Gamecocks lost a game when either out-shooting or out-rebounding a team. In 2006-07, South Carolina was 17-2 when out-shooting its opponent. Prior to the Tennessee game, the Gamecocks last dropped a game despite out-shooting its opponent on Feb. 4, 2007 when No. 7 LSU mustered a 49-46 victory despite shooting 27.6 percent to South Carolina’s 39.6 percent accuracy. The other game the Gamecocks lost when out-shooting their opponent last season was a 67-66 comeback by No. 14 Vanderbilt on Jan. 11, 2007. In that game, South Carolina both out-shot the Commodores 46.6 percent to 44.1 percent and out-rebounded them 44-30.

Losing Pace
Junior transfer C.J. Pace has been declared academically ineligible for the spring semester. Prior to the start of classes this term, Pace played in 16 games, including two starts, and added 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. She enjoyed a breakout game on Jan. 3 against UNC Asheville in which she scored a season-best 15 points.

Just Czeching
Since finding her offensive rhythm with a career-high-tying 17 points against Charleston Southern, senior Ilona Burgrova reached double-figure points in the next five outings. After a two-game hiatus from double figures, during which she scored nine points against UNC Asheville and seven against Savannah State, the center from the Czech Republic bounced back in conference play with a team-high 13 points at Alabama. Burgrova recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against No. 2 Tennessee. In all, she has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 14 games, including three games against teams ranked in the top 10.

Round, Round, Get Around
Junior Demetress Adams has been a multi-dimensional player for the Gamecocks and has been the team leader in either points, rebounds or assists in at least two games this season. The many facets of her game have been on full display in several recent outings. In South Carolina’s 64-43 victory at archrival Clemson on Dec. 22, she recorded her fifth double-double of the season while also matching her career high with five blocked shots and swiping a career-high six steals. Two games later, against UNC Asheville on Jan. 3, the forward narrowly missed a double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds and eight points to go along with five assists and five blocks. Adams matched that rebound total on Jan. 6 against Savannah State while also completing a her sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and adding five steals and three blocks. She enjoyed her best SEC game of the season against No. 2 Tennessee, recording 10 points, seven rebounds and five steals.

Keeping Up With the Joneses
Senior Ebony Jones and freshman Jordan Jones have combined to give South Carolina outside scoring punch this season. The pair has combined to hit 82-of-207 (.396) from outside the arc this season. The duo was exceptionally on fire against Jackson State. The Joneses shot 7-of-10 from 3-point range in the Dec. 7 outing, marking the third-highest team 3-point percentage in school history and the third-best in the SEC this season. In that game, each player took five shots from long range with Ebony hitting a career-high four.

Definitive Demetress
Junior Demetress Adams has recorded 10 career double-doubles, and the Gamecocks are 10-0 in those games. The forward has reached the mark six times this season, leading to more than half of the Gamecocks’ victories. South Carolina is also undefeated in Adams’ three career games with five or more blocked shots, including two this season. In her five career games with five or more assists, including four this season, the Gamecocks are 4-1, suffering its first loss under those conditions on Jan. 27 against Florida.

Locking Down
South Carolina entered the season with a lofty defensive reputation, and having held opponents to just 36.6 percent shooting this season to rank 40th in the nation and fourth in the SEC, the Gamecocks are living up to those expectations. In the season opener, Saint Francis (Pa.) netted just 33 points, and the Gamecocks held Charleston Southern to a school-record tying 26 points on Dec. 4. Additionally, South Carolina held No. 2 Tennessee to its lowest field goal percentage this season (.400) and its fourth-lowest point total (71). South Carolina allowed 70 or more points just six times this season, including three games against top-10 opponents, while holding 10 foes to 60 or fewer points. Last season, South Carolina yielded 70 or more points just eight times in 33 games, including six games against nationally-ranked teams, and held opponents to 60 or fewer points 16 times, including No. 7 LSU. The 2005-06 team set a school record by allowing opponents just 56.8 points per game. That season, 16 games saw opponents net 60 or fewer points while seven reached the 70-point plateau.

Balancing Act
After a 2006-07 campaign that saw the Gamecock frontcourt carrying the load, South Carolina’s offense this season has been more of a balance between inside and outside play. The inside quartet of Demetress Adams (225 pts), Ilona Burgrova (202 pts), Jewel May (70 pts) and Lakesha Tolliver (136 pts) has provided 31.7 of the teams 67.8 points per game (46.7%). Last season, the frontcourt accounted for 39.5 of the team’s 68.6 ppg (57.8%).

Like a Broken Record
One game after etching her name in as the school record holder for blocked shots in a game with seven against UNC Wilmington on Dec. 1, senior Lakesha Tolliver completed her trifecta of blocked shot records by becoming the South Carolina career record holder with five swats against Charleston Southern on Dec. 4. Just nine games into her senior season, Tolliver’s 165 career blocks has eclipsed the Michelle Murray’s previous record of 148. Tolliver set the school record for single-season blocked shots in 2006-07 with 60. She has 35 so far this season.

The Adams Family
Junior Demetress Adams (Bishopville, S.C./Lee Central) leads the Gamecocks and ranks ninth in the SEC with 8.3 rebounds per game … is second on the team at 11.3 ppg … has been the team’s leading scorer three times and the leading rebounder in 13 games … has reached double figures in points in 16 games and recorded six double-doubles … tied for team-high honors with six rebounds and led the club with five assists against Florida … narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds against Kentucky … was 4-of-5 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line for 13 points at Mississippi, while tying for team-high rebound honors with seven … netted 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go with seven rebounds and five steals … was limited by foul trouble to just 22 minutes at Alabama but reached double figures with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and five rebounds.

Know Your ABCs
Freshman Ashlie Billingslea (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) has played in three games after missing the season’s first 17 games due to surgery on her left knee in mid-September … handed out four assists and swiped three steals against Kentucky … made her season debut at Mississippi.

That’s Czech Mate
Senior Ilona Burgrova (Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) is second on the team in rebounding with 7.1 boards per game and is adding 10.1 points per contest … has scored double-digit points in 11 of the last 14 games … has led the team in rebounding seven times this season and has recorded six games of double-digit boards … tied for team-high point and rebound honors with 12 points and six rebounds against Florida … netted 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds against Kentucky, despite being limited by foul trouble … tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds while shooting 4-of-5 from the field at Missisippi … snagged a career-high 13 rebounds and netted a team-high 16 points against No. 2 Tennessee for her first double-double of the season … scored a team-high 13 points and blocked four shots at Alabama.

What Do You Serve With Brie?
Junior Brionna Dickerson (Columbia, S.C./Heathwood Hall) is third on the team with 10.7 ppg … matched Ilona Burgrova’s 12 points and six rebounds against Florida to tie for team-high honors in both categories … scored nine points and handed out three assists against Kentucky … added eight points and four rebounds at Mississippi.

My Friends Call Me Coco
Redshirt freshman Lauren Falohun (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) has come off the bench in 11 games … saw a career-high 13 minutes against Savannah State, scoring her first career point on a free throw … played a season-high nine minutes against Illinois … grabbed a pair of rebounds in her college debut against Saint Francis (Pa.).

Pastor Jones
Senior Ebony Jones (Aiken, S.C./Aiken) has played in 17 games, including five starts … is scoring 4.8 ppg and is the team’s second-best 3-point shooter at 36.0 percent (27-of-75) … keyed the second-half comeback against Florida with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and a career-high five rebounds … hit a pair of 3-pointers en route to eight points at Alabama.

J.J. is Dy-no-mite
Freshman Jordan Jones (Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hill) leads the team in scoring at 13.0 ppg and is shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range to rank third in the SEC … has scored double-figure points in 14 games and has led the team in scoring seven times … netted 11 points against Florida, hitting three 3-pointers … sparked a comeback against Kentucky with 16 points on 3-of-6 from 3-point range … led the team with 18 points and handed out three assists at Mississippi … played 38 minutes against No. 2 Tennessee, adding eight points and three rebounds … did not start at Alabama after an injury in the previous game limited her practice time, but poured in three 3-pointers during a second-half comeback attempt to finish with nine points.

The Kennedy Legacy
Freshman Samone Kennedy (Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay) has played in all 20 games, including five starts … leads the team with 75 assists and has scored 3.9 ppg … ranks among the SEC’s top 10 in assists per game (3.75) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.39) … drew her second-consecutive start at Mississippi and dished out a team-high six assists to just two turnovers … handed out five assists and swiped a pair of steals to go with six points against No. 2 Tennessee … dished out five assists and scored eight points at Alabama.

Jewel of the Nile
Freshman Jewel May (Conyers, Ga./Heritage) has come off the bench in 16 games, averaging 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds … grabbed a career-high six rebounds to tie for team-high honors against Florida … netted 10 points, including six straight during a second-half rally, against Kentucky … picked up a career-high five rebounds at Mississippi and scored seven points … added three points and three rebounds against No. 2 Tennessee … made her SEC debut at Alabama.

A Newton of Force
Freshman Courtney Newton (Flowery Branch, Ga./Flowery Branch) suffered a knee injury against Illinois and underwent season-ending surgery on Jan. 11 … had started four of five games prior to her injury … led the team with a season-high 17 points, on 6-of-11 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and handed out four assists against Buffalo … dished out four assists against Virginia … opened her college career with six assists against just one turnover and scored three points against Saint Francis (Pa.).

Set the Pace
Junior transfer C.J. Pace (Snellville, Ga./Chipola College) has been declared academically ineligible for the spring semester … played in 16 games, including two starts, and scored 3.4 ppg … drew the start at Alabama … snagged eight rebounds against Savannah State … exploded for 15 points in 15 minutes against UNC Asheville, hitting 6-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range … hit both her field goal attempts at Clemson … crashed the boards with a game-high nine rebounds against Alabama A&M … grabbed three rebounds at No. 2 UConn … made her first career start against Florida International and delivered nine points on 4-of-8 shooting and swiped two steals … grabbed a pair of rebounds against Illinois … scored four points and pulled down two offensive rebounds against Buffalo … made her Gamecock debut against Saint Francis (Pa.), adding four points.

And All That Jas
Freshman Jasmine Payne (Bay Springs, Miss./Stringer) has played in 15 games, including two starts, and averages 3.4 points and 2.1 rebounds … added four points and a pair of offensive rebounds as a starter against Florida … drew her first career start against Kentucky and snagged a season-best six rebounds.

Tolliver Twist
Senior Lakesha Tolliver (Columbia, S.C./Dreher) has missed the last six games due to exertional headaches but is expected to return tonight … is third on the team in rebounding at 5.7 rpg and is scoring 9.7 ppg … became the school record holder for career blocked shots against Charleston Southern … has reached double-figure points in seven games … was limited by illness to just seven minutes against UNC Asheville … scored 13 points and snagged a team-high seven rebounds at No. 9 Oklahoma.