Nov. 17, 2003

Recap?|? Box Score

Gardner-Webb Head Coach Rick Scruggs

“We can’t quite finish people off, we are a young team with eight out of our top 11 players freshmen or sophomores. South Carolina did a good job at halftime adjusting on the point guard, they pinched down alot more. We couldn’t finish them off, I’m proud of the way they played, they played hard. With a young team we panicked and got excited. A young team coming into this environment, we love this environment, they got to grow up. We thought we could win the game. Never in 25 years have I prepared to play close, I always try to win.”

South Carolina Head Coach Dave Odom

“I give Gardner-Webb a lot of credit. They did not surprise me; they did not surprise our coaching staff. We prepared hard for them. I will predict that they will go on to a successful season. I give our team credit, as well. Six players in double figures will give you a chance to win. Sometimes the first game is the hardest to win. We have to rebound by committee and defend by committee. They were getting too many back door layups on us in the first half. That was inexcusable. We got our guards involved in rebounding. Mike Boynton had a lot to do with the outcome of this game. It was a typical opening game with a lot of mistakes. There’s a lot of things we can improve upon. I thought our team looked much quicker tonight than last year’s. We cannot give up that many points in the paint. They were a good opening opponent for us tonight.”

SC Game Notes

– USC had six players score in double figures. Last year, the most the Gamecocks had was four.
– Carlos Powell’s double-double was his fourth career double-double
– Powell’s 16 rebounds tied the Guardian’s Classic Record (Tied with Alai Nuualiitia of Brown vs. Belmont, Nov. 18, 2002)
– Powell shot 18 attempts from the field for a career high
– Last year, Carolina had a career high in three-pointers with eight, tonight the Gamecocks had 12
– USC is 23-4 under Coach Odom when scoring 70 or more points and 10-0 when scoring 80 or more
– Tied the team high for rebounds of last year with 49 (Last year it was against Georgia when USC lost 60-55 in OT in Columbia)
– Odom is 16-2 in season openers as a head coach