Feb. 12, 2005
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THE BASICS
South Carolina (6-17 overall; 0-9 Southeastern Conference) gets its chance at history when it hosts No. 1/1 LSU (22-1 overall; 9-0 SEC) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Center.
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.
MORE FROM THE WEB
In-depth live stats can be accessed on the internet by visiting www.uscsports.com, then going to the women’s basketball schedule page and clicking on the “Gametracker” link for the LSU game.
YOUTH BASKETBALL JERSEY DAY
All youths wearing their basketball jerseys to Sunday’s game will be admitted for just $2.00.
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. First-year LSU coach Pokey Chatman is rapidly making a name for herself as the best young coach in the game. Stepping in for ailing Sue Gunter last season, Chatman led LSU to the Final Four and now has the team ranked No. 1 nationally. She was tabbed as the BCA’s 2004 Female Coach of the Year.
A CAROLINA WIN WOULD:
* Mark the first time in the history of the program that the Gamecocks knocked off the number one team in the nation. Carolina is currently 0-5 vs. teams ranked No. 1, with four losses coming at the hands of Tennessee and one loss coming to Georgia.
* Snap South Carolina’s 14-game losing streak against ranked opposition. The Gamecocks’ last win over a ranked opponent was an 83-59 triumph over No. 13 Arkansas on Feb. 16, 2003.
* Snap South Carolina’s 15-game losing streak against teams from the SEC. The Gamecocks’ last win over an SEC opponent was a 77-51 victory over Alabama on Feb. 12, 2004.
* Snap LSU’s current nine-game winning streak and be the Tigers’ second loss this season, with the first a 51-49 setback at Rutgers on Jan. 5, 2005.
* Mark the Gamecocks’ first win over LSU since a 76-61 victory on Feb. 26, 1998. Since that game, the Bayou Bengals have rattled off seven consecutive wins over South Carolina.
* Mark USC’s first win over LSU in Columbia since a 66-56 triumph on Jan. 2, 1993. The Tigers have won the last six meetings played in Columbia.
A CAROLINA LOSS WOULD:
* Move the Gamecocks to 0-10 in conference play this year and extend Carolina’s losing streak against SEC opposition to 16 games, dating back to a 77-51 win over Alabama on Feb. 12, 2004.
* Extend South Carolina’s losing streak against ranked opposition to 15 games. The Gamecocks’ last win over a ranked opponent was an 83-59 victory over No. 13 Arkansas on Feb. 16, 2003.
* Move the Gamecocks to 0-6 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the nation.
* Mark LSU’s 10th consecutive win this season. Included in that span were wins over Georgia, at Vanderbilt, at Florida and versus Tennessee.
* Mark the Tigers’ eighth consecutive win over South Carolina, with the Gamecocks’ last win a 76-61 decision on Feb. 26, 1998.
FABBRI OUT INDEFINITELY
Point guard Lea Fabbri flew home to Croatia on Friday, Feb. 4 to be with her father, Fabio, who is ill in the hospital. No date has been set for Fabbri’s return to the Gamecock roster.
CAROLINA’S KEY NUMBERS
* 20:00 – The Gamecocks are yet to win a game in which they trailed at the half. Conversely, Carolina is 6-3 when leading after the first 20 minutes of play.
* 10 – The Gamecocks are 0-6 this year in games decided by 10 points or less, and are 0-11 in their last 11 games decided 10 points or less, dating back to an 81-79 win over Southern Utah on Dec. 5, 2003.
* 20 – Carolina is 0-15 in games decided by less than 20 points this year. Dating back to last season, the Gamecocks have lost their last 26 games decided by less than 20 points.
* 3/10 – South Carolina is 5-2 in games this season when three or more players score at least 10 points in the same game. The Gamecocks are 1-15 when two players or less hit double-figures.
* 40% – Carolina is 0-14 this year when shooting less than 40 percent from the field. Conversely, the Gamecocks’ opposition is 8-1 when shooting 40 percent from the field.
* 66 – Dating back to a 65-54 win over Auburn on Feb. 23, 2003, USC has lost its last 31 games when scoring less than 66 points.
* 16 – Carolina is 5-0 this season in games in which it distributes 16 assists as a team.
* 23 – …as in the jersey number of Melanie Johnson. In South Carolina’s six wins, Johnson averages 14.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 4.8 steals per game. In Carolina’s 15 losses, Johnson averages 4.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. South Carolina is 6-1 when Johnson scores in double figures.
MURDERER’S ROW
Sunday’s game is the second in a three-game stretch in the schedule it which Carolina battles some of the nation’s best. The Gamecocks lost at Georgia Thursday, then host top-ranked LSU Sunday before traveling to Knoxville for a date with No. 5/5 Tennessee Sunday
NOT AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3
During week two of this season, the three teams in this current patch of South Carolina’s schedule were ranked No. 1, 2 and 3 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls.
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.
YOUTH SHOWS IN CLOSE GAMES
South Carolina is 0-6 this year in games decided by 10 points or less and 0-15 in games decided by less than 20 points. Dating back to last year, the Gamecocks have lost their last 11 games decided by 10 points or less and their last 26 games decided by less than 20 points.
SINGLE-SEASON SCHOOL BLOCKS RECORD FALLS
South Carolina ranks second in the SEC and among the leaders nationally in blocked shots. The Gamecocks have rejected 139 shots this year. USC’s previous single-season school record for blocks was 115, held by the Gamecocks of 2001-02.
STARTING LINEUPS LIKE FINGERPRINTS…NO TWO ARE ALIKE
South Carolina fielded its 12th different starting lineup of the year in last Sunday’s game against Auburn. With the exception of team-manager-turned-shooting-guard Ebony Jones, every player on the active roster has started at least three games this season. Lauren Simms is the only player to start in every game this year.
SUPER SUNDAY ATTENDANCE
A crowd of 5,112 fans was on hand to watch the Gamecocks face Auburn on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6, marking the largest home crowd Carolina has played in front of all season. In fact, the figure was the third-highest ever for a women’s game at the Colonial Center and the seventh highest in school history.
SOME OF USC’S TROUBLES CAN BE FIXED
South Carolina has lost its last seven games for a variety of reasons, some of which can be corrected. For example, the Gamecocks have converted on only 56-of-102 free throw attempts during that span (54.9 percent), and have not valued their possessions, committing almost twice as many turnovers (132) as assists (79). In addition, South Carolina has not done a good job blocking out on rebounds of late, allowing the last seven opponents to grab 42.9 rebounds per game to USC’s 38.6 rebounds per game despite the Gamecocks’ pronounced height advantage over nearly every team.
SCORING LEADERSHIP NEEDED
Sophomore guard Lauren Simms scored 10 points against Georgia Thursday. She was the only South Carolina player to score in double figures. In the Gamecocks’ 56-47 loss to Auburn in the game immediately prior, no Carolina player scored in double figures, meaning that USC was just one point away from playing back-to-back games without having anyone score in double figures.
POINTS ARE HARD TO COME BY
South Carolina ranks last in the SEC with 59.9 points per game. With the exception of Carolina’s 67-37 win over the College of Charleston on Jan. 13, the Gamecocks have scored 62 points or less in each of their last 11 games. Included in that span are seven games with 50 points or less.
OUT OF WHACK STAT VS. GEORGIA
South Carolina scrapped and hustled its way to 21 offensive rebounds in its last game at Georgia but it was to no avail, as the Bulldogs claimed a 67-51 win. In fact, the Gamecocks have hauled in 20 or more offensive rebounds four times this year, with three of those contests resulting in Carolina defeats.
3FGM STREAK REMAINS INTACT AT 112
The Gamecocks have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 112 consecutive games during a streak that dates back to November of 2001 and is the longest such streak in school history.
WHAT’S NEXT
South Carolina travels to Knoxville for a 7 p.m. date with No. 5/5 Tennessee Thursday.
