Dec. 13, 2004
THE BASICS
After breaking for final exams, South Carolina hosts Florida A&M at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14 in the front end of a doubleheader with the Gamecock men’s team.
ON THE AIR
The game will be broadcast live on WISW 1320 AM Columbia, with Andy Demetra handling play-by-play and Robin Muller providing analysis. For listeners outside of Columbia, the live broadcast will also be aired worldwide via the internet on the official web site of South Carolina athletics, www.uscsports.com.
ACCESSING THE WEB BROADCAST
To access the internet broadcast, go to www.uscsports.com, then click the “Audio/Video” link at the top of the screen. Follow the prompts from there to select the game you want to listen to.
SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE
Season tickets for South Carolina women’s basketball are now available for only $40, making Gamecock women’s hoops one of the best values in town. Playing in the nation’s most difficult conference (three SEC teams are ranked 1-2-3 in this week’s polls), plus an intriguing non-conference slate that includes home games against Clemson, N.C. State and Charlotte make for an exciting season of women’s basketball.
AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL
With Tuesday’s early tip time, the game will be an After School Special for Kids, with all children getting in for $2.
THE COACHES
Susan Walvius is in her eighth year at the helm of the South Carolina women’s basketball program and her 15th year overall as a head coach. Prior to USC, she coached at Virginia Commonwealth and West Virginia. The 2002 SEC Coach of the Year led the Gamecocks to consecutive top-20 national finishes and NCAA tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003. Her 2002 squad advanced to the Elite Eight. In her fourth season at Florida A&M, Debra Clark has compiled a 45-45 record, including an 0-4 mark against teams from the Southeastern Conference. The Rattlers have improved steadily under Clark, moving from 11-16 her first year to 16-13 her second and 17-12 last season. Prior to taking the job at Florida A&M, Clark spent seven seasons as head coach at Winston-Salem State, compiling a 111-85 record.
A CAROLINA WIN WOULD:
Improve the Gamecocks’ advantage in the all-time series with the Rattlers to 6-0 and improve Susan Walvius’ record against Florida A&M to 5-0. Move South Carolina’s record to 15-2 in non-conference home games played in the Colonial Center. Snap a two-game Carolina losing streak in non-conference games played at home. Entering USC’s game against Charlotte, the Gamecocks had never lost a non-conference home game. Move Florida A&M’s record to 6-20 all-time in games played against teams from the SEC.
A CAROLINA LOSS WOULD:
Mark Florida A&M’s first-ever win over the Gamecocks. Be the Rattlers’ first win over an SEC opponent since knocking off Georgia in 1986. Mark South Carolina’s third consecutive loss in a non-conference home game. Prior to USC’s game against Charlotte on Nov. 30, the Gamecocks never lost a non-conference home game, stringing together a 14-0 record since moving into the Colonial Center in 2002. Move the Gamecocks to 1-5 on the year, a mark that stands as the slowest start since the 1985-86 season, when Carolina started 1-5, but finished the year with a 19-11 overall record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
UNDER PRESSURE
The amount of work South Carolina put in during the preseason on its full-court press has been apparent through the first four games, as the Gamecocks have forced the opposition into committing 91 turnovers (18.2 per game).
LOCAL PRODUCT STARS FOR USC
Sophomore captain and Spring Valley graduate Lauren Simms came into the season with high expectations after earning Freshman All-SEC recognition last year. She has not disappointed through the first five games, reaching double-figures every game and averaging a team-best 19.4 points per game. She set a new career high when she scored 29 points against Charlotte on November 27, then she came back to score 25 points against rival Clemson, with 21 of those points coming after halftime.
BOOKER ERUPTS
Sophomore guard Stacy Booker enjoyed a night to remember against Clemson on December 3, racking up 28 points and grabbing six rebounds. Entering the game against the Tigers, Booker’s previous career-high scoring total was 13 points. Booker drained five three-pointers against Clemson, matching her season total entering the game.
FABBRI SHOWS POTENTIAL
Point guard play was a question mark for South Carolina entering the season, as no player had any significant experience running the point. Sophomore Lea Fabbri earned the starting nod with her performance in preseason practice, but was taken out of the starting lineup for USC’s game against Charlotte. Fabbri was given another shot at a starting spot in the next game against Clemson, and did not disappoint, as she finished with new career highs of 15 points and 10 assists. In dishing out 10 assists against the Tigers, Fabbri became the 15th player in school history to dish out 10 or more assists in a game.
JOHNSON PROVIDING SECOND CHANCES
Offensive rebounding has been a bright spot for the Gamecocks, who have been led by Barnwell’s Melanie Johnson. As a team, Carolina is averaging an SEC-best 19.4 offensive rebounds per game, with Johnson grabbing 4.0 offensive boards per contest. Johnson notched her first career double-double when she scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Charlotte.
TOLLIVER QUIETLY MAKING NOISE
Freshman Lakesha Tolliver has not put up eye-popping numbers, but her contribution to the team has been clear through the first five games. She is averaging 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, with a team-best 13 blocks. Her five blocked shots against Charlotte set a new Colonial Center record.
GET IT OUT OF HERE!
Led by Johnson and Tolliver, the Gamecocks sit among the SEC team leaders in blocked shots with 5.4 blocks per game. As a team, South Carolina is on pace to block 151 shots this year. The existing school record is 115 blocks, held by the 2001-02 squad.
SLISKOVIC TAKES STRIDE
Sophomore forward Iva Sliskovic entered the season as South Carolina’s leading scorer and rebounder from a year ago. However, she has struggled to find her game this year. Sliskovic took a big step toward getting back into rhythm when she matched a career high with 14 rebounds against Clemson on Dec. 3. That kind of production from a proven player like Sliskovic could be a large factor in the Gamecocks turning things around as the season moves forward.
MIX IT UP
South Carolina has fielded four different starting lineup in five games this year. Lauren Simms is the only Gamecock to start in every game.
FREE THROW LINE UNFRIENDLY
Free throw shooting has been a bit of an adventure for the Gamecocks through the first five games, as the team is shooting at a .664 clip from the line.
UNDERCLASSMEN ABOUND
There are no seniors on the South Carolina roster. In fact, the team has only one junior. Forward Olga Gritsaeva is the only upperclassman on a roster that features eight sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and one true freshman.
HILL-MACDONALD RETURNS
One of the top tacticians in the sport re-joined the South Carolina coaching staff this summer in Linda Hill-MacDonald. Hill-MacDonald served as an assistant coach under Susan Walvius from 2000-03 and was a large factor in the Gamecocks’ trip to the Elite Eight in 2002 and in the team’s consecutive NCAA appearances and top-20 national finishes in 2001-02 and 2002-03. Hill-MacDonald has over 30 years of coaching experience, including the head jobs at Temple University, the University of Minnesota and with the WNBA’s Cleveland Rockers.
GAMECOCK STAFF LONG ON EXPERIENCE
South Carolina has an interesting dynamic within its coaching staff, as three of the Gamecocks’ four coaches have substantial NCAA Division I head coaching experience. In fact, if director of basketball operations Robin Muller is included, the Gamecock coaches have 50 years of Division I head coaching experience.
HOMETOWN HEROES
The Gamecock roster features four players from the state of South Carolina. Lauren Simms (Columbia/Spring Valley HS), Angela Hunter (Columbia/Columbia HS), Melanie Johnson (Barnwell/Barnwell HS) and Lakesha Tolliver (Columbia/Dreher HS) are the Palmetto State natives.
WNBA, GAMECOCK STAR A HALL-OF-FAMER
Former Gamecock great Shannon Johnson won a gold medal this summer with Team USA at the Athens Olympics. In addition, she was also inducted into the University of South Carolina’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
THREE-POINTERS MADE STREAK STILL INTACT
The Gamecocks have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 94 consecutive games, dating back to November of 2001, which marks the longest such streak in school history.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Gamecocks are back in action when they host North Carolina State at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16 at the Colonial Center. ™™
