April 14, 2004

The University of South Carolina men’s basketball team announced that point guard Stephen McDowell (Indianapolis, Ind.) has signed a national letter of intent today to play for the Gamecocks beginning next year. USC signed Dwayne Day (Montgomery County HS, Ga.) in the early signing period.

McDowell, a 5’11 165 lb. point guard, intends to major in Finance and is the son of Stephen and Kamona McDowell.

“We are excited to have Stephen join our basketball team. He is a natural point guard who will shore up our guard core. He is a serious student who has all the necessary skills to be an excellent player and a terrific leader. We are delighted to have him,” said USC Head Coach Dave Odom.

On why McDowell chose USC: “I chose to attend the University of South Carolina because this is the place that met all my requirements. I will be competing against the highest level of competition day in and day out. The Moore School of Business is one of the best in the nation. I will be in an entirely new atmosphere, which will allow me to meet new faces and see new places. Lastly, I felt and still feel confident in the fact that Coach Odom is the type of person I can build a lifelong friendship with!”

McDowell, who most recently trained at IMG Basketball Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) in the post-graduate basketball-training program, averaged 16 points and five assists this past year. He played and trained with coach Mike Moreau at IMG.

McDowell played under Jack Keefer at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Indiana from 2001-02 before transferring and playing under Jerome Lee at Cedar Grove High School from 2002-03. At Cedar Grove (Ga.) his senior year he averaged 20 points, five assists and two steals-per-game. His team was named “Team of the Month” in February 2003.

He was voted to the All-DeKalb County Boys Team of the Year, the 2002 Campbell Osbourne Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team and received the Basketball Award presented by the Atlanta Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

McDowell’s scholastic awards include: the Principal’s Leadership Award, Charles E. Harris Memorial Award, Leadership Essay Contest Award, the County Line/Ellenwood Community Award and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Scholastic Achievement Award.

McDowell’s lists being a “great listener” as a special skill.

USC’s signee in the early signing period, Day, played under Ken Price for Montgomery County High School in Georgia.

Day’s club team, the Atlanta Celtics, won the national championship last summer – including winning the adidas Big-Time Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. They were the No. 1 AAU team in the country last summer. He played with Dwight Howard and Josh Smith, high school seniorss who are both projected NBA draft picks in June.

On why Day chose USC: “I chose South Carolina because I like the coaching staff a lot – I felt very comfortable with them. I wanted to go to a place where I can feel as if I’m home and USC is that place. The season reason is the academics, which will help make me a successful person beyond basketball. Lastly, I feel good about the situation for me having a chance to play. I love it. Thanks South Carolina!”

Day also considered Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Sate, Mississippi and Mississippi State.