Feb. 12, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina women’s basketball team rolled over Alabama on Thursday night at the Colonial Center 77-51. The win improved the Gamecocks to 10-12 overall and 1-8 in the SEC while the Crimson Tide dropped to 11-12 and 3-7 in conference play. USC totaled five players in double figures with Iva Sliskovic leading the way with 18 points, 14 of them coming in the first half.
South Carolina opened the game with a 5-0 run but Alabama would quickly tie the game at five. The Crimson Tide would take their only lead of the game when Kate Mastin hit a shot and put the Tide up 8-7. After that it would be all Gamecocks as USC would take control by shooting 48.1% from the field in the first half and 55.6% from behind the arch. The hot shooting by the Gamecocks would give them a lead as large as 16 in the first half and a 38-25 lead heading into the half.
In the second half, USC put the game in cruise control as they would extend their lead to as many as 29 points and finish the game with five players in double figures. The five players in double figures are the most for the Gamecocks since playing Southern Utah on December 5, 2003 in a 81-79 win at the Southwest Airlines Lobo Shootout in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“The execution by the team was good, best that I have seen in a while,” said USC Head Coach Susan Walvius. “We are a very young team. This team needs a focus and understand they are capable of doing what they did today.”
The Gamecocks were led by Sliskovic with 18. Sarah Burgess scored 13 and Cristina Ciocan had 12. Olga Gritsaeva and Kelly Morrone tallied 11 to end all of South Carolina’s double digit scoring. Lea Fabbri netted five while Stacy Booker added three. Lauren Simms and Shannel Harris chipped in two.
USC returns to action on February 15 when they travel to Auburn for a 3 p.m. match.
