Feb. 14, 2003

Returning its focus to SEC action, USC will play Arkansas on Saturday, Feb. 15 with a 1:05 pm tip-off in The Carolina Center. The game will be televised by JP Sports. It is USC’s third of four appearances on JP this year.

Last year South Carolina defeated Arkansas in Fayetteville, 62-60, on a game-winning lay-up by Jamel Bradley with 1:10 left in the game. It was the Gamecocks second win in a row in Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas wants to keep the streak between the two teams alive, but not USC: the road team has won the last four meetings between the two teams. The home team hasn’t won since 1998 when Arkansas defeated USC 96-88.

The ‘Backs lead the series record 9-3 against USC, holding a 4-1 advantage in Columbia.

“Arkansas has a wide range of players and combinations they can play with,” said USC Head Coach Dave Odom. “They have a new coaching staff and are mixing things up. They are a senior and freshman-laden team. The freshmen play with no fear. So it will be an interesting game and a very important contest for both teams.”

USC is 9-11 and 2-7 in the SEC on the year. USC is 8-3 in its new home this year. Arkansas checks in with a 7-13 overall record and is 2-7 in the SEC. Arkansas is guided by first-year head coach Stan Heath, who came to the ‘Backs from Kent State University.

“South Carolina has been impressive in their last two games,” said UA’s Heath. “They are on a two-game win streak, so that’s got to affect their confidence. South Carolina has a beautiful facility, very similar to what we have here in Fayetteville. So hopefully, it will be a home-away-from-home for us and give us a comfortable feel.”

The Arkansas game will be carried on the radio airwaves by the Gamecock Sports Network (for radio listings see page 13). Charlie McAlexander (play-by-play) and Casey Manning (color) will call the action on more than 25 stations in the Palmetto State and world-wide on the internet at www.uscsports.com.

The game will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot Sports to a Southeastern United States audience. Paul Kennedy (play by play) and Larry Conley (analyst) will make the call from Columbia. The game will be seen in the Palmetto State on WMMP-TV (Charleston), WIS-TV (Columbia), WFXB-TV (Florence), WBSC-TV (Greenville/ Spartanburg) and WRDW-TV (Augusta).

This Carolina’s 10th television appearance this season and third on JP Sports this year. USC is 4-5 on television.

boynton on sec good works team player of the week

South Carolina junior guard Mike Boynton, Jr., will be featured this week as the SEC Good Works Team Player of the Week on Jefferson-Pilot’s telecasts of the Tennessee at Arkansas, Ole Miss at Florida, Arkansas at South Carolina and LSU at Kentucky games.

The Brooklyn, New York native is a member of the USC Student-Athlete advisory Committee. He visited cancer patients on the children’s floor at Richland Memorial Hospital and participated in the Lexington Medical Center Picnic for foster children. He also helped at the Christmas party for the Girls and Boys Club of the Midlands.

The SEC sponsors Good Works Teams for football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s sports at-large, and women’s sports at-large. Jefferson-Pilot highlights one member of the SEC Good Works Team for men’s basketball during each week of its men’s basketball telecasts.

not so easy

USC’s schedule has been ranked fifth toughest in the country by CBSSportsline.com. CollegeRPI.com ranks USC’s schedule as 11th toughest in the country. USC’s Saturday opponent, Arkansas, ranks second in the nation in both polls. Georgia’s schedule ranks No. 1 as the toughest schedule in both polls.