Sept. 23, 2003

The University of South Carolina announced its 2003-04 women’s basketball schedule Monday with the 27-game slate featuring the team’s first nationally-televised game on Saturday, January 3rd at Minnesota (CBS) and 11 games at the Carolina Center.

In the past, the Gamecocks have appeared on national television in NCAA Tournament games but this will be this nation’s first regular season glimpse of the Gamecocks in the school’s 29-year women’s basketball history.

South Carolina must face nine teams who participated in the 2003 NCAA Tournament and were ranked in the final ESPN/USA Today Coach’s Poll last April.

South Carolina tips off the 2003-04 basketball season with a basketball doubleheader at Clemson. The women’s game begins approximately 8:30 p.m. after the Clemson men battle Gardner-Webb at 6:00 p.m. The Gamecocks enjoy the first of three home games on Monday, November 24th with a 7:00 p.m. contest against Appalachian State University.

South Carolina makes a first-ever trip to the state of New Mexico in December to participate in the University of New Mexico’s Southwest Airlines Lobo Shootout. For the fourth consecutive year, “North meets South” in the ACC/SEC Beachball Classic on Saturday, December 20th when the Gamecocks battle the Tar Heels in Myrtle Beach, SC.

USC begins its 12th season in the Southeastern Conference with a Sunday, January 11th contest at Alabama. On Thursday, January 15th, the Tennessee Lady Vols make their first appearance at the Carolina Center in the South Carolina’s 2004 SEC home opener. The Gamecocks host a total of seven conference games during the 2004 season.

“We are going to be tested on the road this year,” said USC head coach Susan Walvius. “Last year in the NCAA Tournament, we didn’t play well against Penn State on their home court. We have a tougher schedule this year and we are preparing our team by putting them on the road earlier this year. I think it’s important that we win out of conference and that we establish our team nationally.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to play on CBS. I think it is a real credit to the kids on our team and how hard that they’ve worked over the past couple of years that we have been picked up so early for a CBS game.”