Dec. 8, 2004

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Each week, broadcaster Andy Demetra gives an all-access look at Gamecock Women’s Basketball in his new column “Beyond The Mic.” Join him Wednesdays throughout the season, as he serves up his insights on the team, its travels, and its triumphs.

Beyond The Mic

The game tapes, scouting reports, and invoices you’d expect. Gamecocks assistant Michelle Marciniak has plenty of those stacked around her desk.

What you wouldn’t expect is over there on the corner. It stands proudly, almost welcoming visitors into her office: a giant, glowing bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.

I recognized the stuff; my college roommate used to chug it by the gallon. A dorm room cabinet, maybe. But on a coach’s desk?

“It goes to every pre-game meal, and it goes on all our road trips,” Marciniak said of her superstitious sauce.

The Gamecocks are looking to kick it up a notch as well.

Twice this week, Carolina fought from a double-digit deficit in the second half, only to come up short. On Tuesday against Charlotte, the Gamecocks sliced a 13-point margin to two in the final minutes, before falling 78-72. The finish foreshadowed Friday’s game against Clemson, when Carolina rallied from 11 down, gave up a game-tying jumper at the end of regulation, and fell in overtime 87-79.

“Stop and a score,” as coaches say. The Gamecocks had them in their comebacks, but not enough to reverse the outcome.

“Close [games] always come down to one possession,” Marciniak said. “In practice we worked on getting a stop, then coming back after a stop and converting in transition,” she said.

The Gamecocks have also been hindered by a statistical aberration. In five games, Carolina’s post players are shooting worse from the field (37 percent) than the Gamecocks’ perimeter players (40 percent). Gamecocks post players only shot 1-17 against Clemson.

Marciniak thinks sophomore Iva Sliskovic – a predicted pillar of strength who tied a career high with 14 rebounds against the Tigers – is ready for a breakout.

“As soon as she gets it done one time this year, it’ll start rolling for her,” Marciniak observed. With more depth up front, Sliskovic has only attempted 16 field goals this season, compared to 39 at this point last year.

“And you can tell her rebounding is starting to come around, and she’ll keep doing it. Once she gets it, she’s got it,” Marciniak said.

Musing on her team’s play, the Gamecocks assistant let out a laugh.

“Heck, we just got into December. We kind of forget that. Everybody’s pulling their hair out,” Marciniak said.

That didn’t stop her and the rest of the coaches from sequestering themselves in the Colonial Center film room after the Clemson game, watching tape until past 1 a.m. Searching, incidentally, for what Marciniak already has bottled in her office: a missing ingredient.

The Tip Drill

Visited: My parents. Avid Internet listeners, they traveled 1,900 miles from Arizona to watch the Clemson game and listen to the radio broadcast.

Discovered: The only place where my Mom could find radio reception at the Colonial Center: inside the bathroom. Oh well – enjoyed seeing you guys anyway!

Andy Demetra is in his second season as the voice of Gamecock Women’s Basketball on 1320 AM WISW.