March 20, 2003

Senior Forward Jocelyn Penn
How is the Ankle?
“I think I am back to the same old JP. I feel my speed is back to 100%”

Last year the Gamecocks advanced to the Elite. How does that help you going into this year’s tournament?
“It helps us a lot. The returning players know what to expect and what we have to do and we are ready for the challenge.”

What is the scouting report on Chattanooga?
“They are a small quick team. They have set offenses that we have been working on so we are ready for them.”

What are you expecting from them?
“I think out of every four shots they take one of them is a three-pointer so we have to get in the shooter’s face and be ready for them when they penetrate.”

Is this a dangerous game for this team?
“Of course. Obviously Chattanooga is a good team or they wouldn’t be here. We are not looking ahead to our second game. We are taking them one game at a time and our first game is versus Chattanooga.”

Junior Guard Kelly Morrone
What are your feelings going into the NCAA’s?
“I think we are definitely going in with a different mindset and we know what to expect. We are excited about it, but at the same time trying to stay focused on the task at hand and that is Chattanooga.”

What is the goal for this year?
“We want to be in Atlanta this year. Our goal is to make it to the Final Four.”

What is different about this year from last year?
“I think we are more mature this year and we know what to expect. The focus is a bit different this year and there are four or five of us who are going to lead our younger players by helping them to remember what got us there.”

Sarah Burgess
What are your feelings on playing in your first NCAA Tournament as a freshman?
“When I was little my dream was to play on television in front of a national audience now that it is happening my dreams are becoming a reality.”

Head Coach Susan Walvius

Can you describe Jocelyn Penn’s impact on this team?
“She has grown up so much and one of the real joys of coaching is watching a young lady mature into a young woman. She has learned not only on the basketball court but in the classroom as well that if you work hard you are going to be successful. She is a great leader who motivates her teammates daily in practice and I am glad she is on our team and not someone else’s. She is a great player and a great person.”

What is the comfort level this year compared to last?
“As we went through our season last year, we did a lot of things that no other USC team had done before. This year our team has an expectation for success and that is the difference. Our team has been to the NCAA Tournament before and that we’ll have to take it one game at the time. Yet at the same time, they expect success and instead of wondering what will happen they go into the game, they know how good we are and this team can go far if we can stay healthy and stay out of foul trouble.”

What do you guys expect out of Chattanooga?
“They are good. They are one of the most disciplined teams that we have played against. They rebound well and are extremely aggressive defensively. They are a very good 3-point shooting team and we are going to have to play both ends of the floor for forty minutes if we are going to beat them.”

Given the world events, are you comfortable playing this weekend?
“Certainly our hearts are with our military as they are representing our country. It is a scary time for us as Americans with the uncertainty of the war. It is important that we go on with our lives and we have that mentality. We all certainly appreciate what our military is doing for us and our hearts and prayers are with them.”