Feb. 6, 2003
Columbia, S.C. – 16th-ranked South Carolina (16-5, 4-4) fell Thursday night 69-66 to 4th-ranked LSU (19-1, 7-1) at the Carolina Center. Petra Ujhelyi led the Gamecocks and achieved a new career high, going 12-21 including one three-pointer for 24 total points; she added nine rebounds in the game. The Gamecocks went down early in the first half as they struggled for a basket, starting the game 2-12 and quickly falling into a 13-point deficit. USC came back on the strength of Jocelyn Penn’s seven first-half rebounds and equal number of points. She ended the game with 15 points and eight rebounds. The Gamecocks got to within five points of the Tigers before giving up five straight points to close out the half down ten, 21-31. USC gave up ten turnovers in the half.
The second half was a different story for Head Coach Susan Walvius’ team. She said, “I was much more impressed with our offensive mind in the second half. We picked up out tempo in the second; we tried to be more aggressive. We came out a little tentatively in the first [half] and I was pleased that we pulled it together in the second half.”
In the second half, the Gamecocks came back and got to within one point as Kelly Morrone hit three foul shots to make the score 67-63 and Cristina Ciocan hit a layup with only eight seconds to go to make the score 67-66. LSU’s Seimone Augustus then hit two free throws to put the Tigers up for good at 69-66. USC had one more chance to score with seven seconds to play but did not get a clear shot off. Ciocan led the way for the Gamecock advance in the second half, achieving the second double-double of her career. She had 14 points and ten assists.
USC will next be in Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama on Feb. 9. They return to the Carolina Center Feb. 16 to play nationally-ranked Arkansas on SEC-TV.
