Jan. 21, 2007
:: Senior point guard Lea Fabbri did not play in Sunday’s game as a result of the sprained right ankle she sustained during South Carolina’s 95-35 win over Alabama on Jan. 14. Sunday’s game marked the second consecutive game Fabbri has missed, as she was out for the Ole Miss game played Thursday in Oxford. Fabbri’s injury coupled with the preseason knee injury to Lauren Falohun meant that South Carolina played Sunday’s game without a true point guard available. Fabbri is questionable for this coming Thursday’s game against Florida.
:: Lakesha Tolliver blocked the 100th shot of her career when she rejected a Bethany Washington offering midway through the first half. In doing so, she became only the sixth player in school history to reach the 100-block mark in a career. Teammate Iva Sliskovic hit that same milestone against High Point earlier this season.
:: Including Sunday’s game, Lakesha Tolliver has now blocked at least one shot in each of Carolina’s last 12 games and has blocked multiple shots in nine of the last 10 contests. Her five blocks Sunday matched a career high.
:: Shannel Harris set a new season high with 10 points Sunday. Her effort marked the third double-figure scoring performance of her career.
:: Lauren Simms set a new season high with 20 points Sunday, marking her fourth straight double-figure scoring game and her ninth double-figure scoring effort in the last 11 games. Simms has scored as many as 29 points in a game during her career.
:: South Carolina trailed by an 8-2 margin early, but rattled off a 9-2 run of its own to capture an 11-10 lead after an Iva Sliskovic score at the 13:18 mark of the first half.
:: Mississippi State held a 40-37 lead at the half. Entering Sunday’s game, South Carolina owned a 1-5 record when trailing at intermission.
:: For the fourth straight game, South Carolina went with Demetress Adams, Lakesha Tolliver, Shannel Harris, Stacy Booker and Lauren Simms in the starting five. The Gamecocks have utilized seven different starting lineups this year.
:: Mississippi State’s 87 points were the most allowed by South Carolina this year.
:: Mississippi State turned in a performance that is in stark contrast to its tendencies, as the Bulldogs drained seven three-pointers in the first half alone and 11 three-pointers in the game. Entering Sunday’s game, the Bulldogs averaged 4.8 three-pointers made per contest. In a similar vein, Bulldog forward Tysheka Grimes scored 19 points in the first half and 28 points in the game. Entering Sunday’s contest, Grimes averaged 5.6 points per game. Her career high was 12 points, scored against Mississippi Valley earlier this year. As a team, Mississippi State entered Sunday’s game ranked last in the SEC in scoring (62.2 points per game), field goal percentage (.377 pct.) and free throw percentage (.614 pct.)
:: With both Grimes (28 points) and Imesia Jackson (23 points) scoring more than 20 points, it marked the first time since 2003 that South Carolina allowed two teammates to score 20 or more points in the same game.
:: South Carolina converted on 15-of-28 field goal attempts in the first half Sunday (.536 pct.), marking their most accurate shooting half against an SEC opponent this year.
:: The Gamecocks entered Sunday’s game ranking among the top 20 teams nationally in steals (10th – 12.89 per game), rebounding margin (6th – +11.8), scoring defense (16th – 54.7) and scoring margin (16th – +16.8).
:: The Gamecocks return to action when they host Florida Thursday night at the Colonial Center.
