December 10, 2001
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jocelyn Penn scored 16 points in each half en route to a career-high scoring day as 23rd ranked South Carolina routed visiting Wofford 77-53 at the Carolina Coliseum Saturday afternoon.
Penn chipped in five of her career and game-high 32 points in the first two minutes of the game to pace an early Lady Gamecock rally. USC (8-1) scored the game’s first 12 points, establishing a lead it would never relinquish.
Penn hit a driving layup before converting a three-point play to stretch the USC lead to seven. Cristina Ciocan added two jumpers, including a deep three pointer at 17:09 from the left corner to pad the Lady Gamecock margin to 12. Ciocan scored a season-high 10 points on four-of-seven shooting.
On the day, Penn was 10-of-21 from the floor and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. She also grabbed six rebounds and collected five steals in an all-around dominant performance.
As USC carried a comfortable 34-20 lead into the intermission, the Lady Gamecocks were never seriously threatened by outmatched Wofford (5-2), USC’s lead grew to as many as 34 points late in the game. Wofford did score 12 straight points in the final minutes to determine the final margin.
Wofford’s Stephanie Ripberger kept the Lady Terries in the game during the first half. The freshman converted four-of-six three-point tries in the first half, scoring 12 of her team’s 20 total points. Ripberger, though, did not scratch in the second half as she was held in check by a stringent USC defense. USC forced 24 Wofford turnovers on the day.
Stephanie Adelaine added 11 points on the day for the Lady Terriers.
South Carolina Head Coach Susan Walvius spoke highly of her team’s dominant effort against the Lady Terriers.
“I was pleased with the first half,” said Walvius. “We came out very strong. I think we are a great team and we are accomplishing our goals. We’re working to better ourselves each day.”
Walvius continues to be impressed with the steady play of her junior forward from Norcross, Ga.
“Jocelyn Penn has all the qualities that make a great player.”
South Carolina will be out of action for 10 days due to final exam week. The Lady Gamecocks play again December 18 against Coastal Carolina at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of a double-header with the men’s squad at the Carolina Coliseum.
