Aug. 18, 2004
Columbia, S.C. –
South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Susan Walvius announced the 2004-05 schedule Wednesday.
The Gamecocks open the season in the Pacific Northwest at the WBCA Basketball Classic when they take on the University of Washington on November 14. South Carolina takes on UNLV the next day.
“We’re very excited for the opportunity to compete in the WBCA Classic in Seattle to start the season,” Walvius said. “It will give our team a chance to see where we are against very good competition early on.”
The Gamecocks come home for an exhibition contest against Everyone’s Internet at 7 p.m. on November 19 before the regular-season home schedule tips off on November 27 when the Jacksonville University visits the Colonial Center for the first of five consecutive home games. The Gamecocks host Charlotte at 7 p.m. on November 30 before a December 3 showdown with in-state rival Clemson at the Colonial Center. The two teams met in a shootout at Clemson last year, with the Tigers claiming a 103-99 overtime win. Tip off for this year’s meeting is set for 7 p.m.
Following an 11-day hiatus for final exams, USC returns to the hardwood with a flurry of five games in nine days, starting with a 7 p.m. game against Florida A&M on December 14 at the Colonial Center. Kay Yow’s North Carolina State squad visits the Gamecocks at 7 p.m. on December 16 to put a cap on USC’s five-game homestand.
“Facing two very good ACC teams in Clemson and N.C. State during the non-conference schedule is going to be an excellent test for our team as it prepares for the SEC schedule,” Walvius said.
The Gamecocks travel to Middle Tennessee State for a December 18 contest before returning to the Colonial Center for a pair of contests against Birmingham Southern and South Carolina State played on December 20 and December 22, respectively. Both games are set to tip at 7 p.m.
South Carolina hosts the USC Tournament following the holiday break, with Seton Hall, Campbell University and Coastal Carolina competing from December 29-30. The Gamecocks host Coastal Carolina on December 29, with Seton Hall and Campbell locking horns as well. Both the consolation and championship games will be played on December 30.
The core of the non-conference schedule concludes on January 2, when the Gamecocks head to Charlottesville, Va., to face another tough ACC opponent in Virginia.
The SEC slate opens with a home contest against Mississippi State at 7 p.m. on January 6 followed by a January 9 date with Vanderbilt in Nashville that is set to tip off at 2 p.m. The Gamecocks return to the Colonial Center to take on the College of Charleston at 7 p.m. on January 13 to put a cap on the non-conference portion of the schedule.
“The SEC will be as tough as ever this year,” Walvius said. “There is no such thing as a night off when you get into conference play. The SEC is the toughest conference in America, and every opponent is a challenge.”
Immediately following a January 16 date with Florida at the Colonial Center, the Gamecocks face a difficult stretch of the schedule in which three of four contests are played on the road, with the lone home game against a national power.
USC heads to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on January 20, then goes to Fayetteville to square off against Arkansas on January 23 before coming home to host Tennessee at 7 p.m. on January 27. A trip to Lexington to face Kentucky follows on January 30.
The Gamecocks come home to host Auburn at 3 p.m. on February 6 before doing battle with Georgia in Athens on February 10.
A pair of games against 2004 Final Four participants follows, with South Carolina hosting LSU at 2 p.m. on February 13 before heading to Knoxville to battle Tennessee on February 17.
“Back-to-back games against LSU and Tennessee will be difficult, but victories there could be a huge boost to our team with the post-season coming soon after,” Walvius said.
The regular season home schedule concludes with back-to-back home games against Alabama at 2 p.m. on February 20 and against Kentucky at 7 p.m. on February 24, with a February 27 date with Mississippi in Oxford putting a cap on the regular-season slate.
The SEC Tournament will be played at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville from March 3-6.
