Feb. 16, 2005
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THE BASICS
South Carolina (6-18; 0-10 SEC) is back in action when it travels to Knoxville to square off against No. 6/6 Tennessee Thursday at 7 p.m. eastern.
ON THE TUBE
The game will be televised live on Comcast Sports, with Bob Kesling handling play-by-play and Suzanne Barbre Singleton providing analysis.
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 Thursday’s game.
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. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Pat Summitt is one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport. Her 1996 national championship squad was led by current South Carolina Assistant Coach Michelle Marciniak, who earned Final Four Most Valuable Player honors.
A CAROLINA WIN WOULD:
* Snap Tennessee’s 30-game winning streak over the Gamecocks. Carolina’s lone win in the all-time series with the Lady Vols was a 56-52 triumph in Columbia in 1980.
* Mark South Carolina’s first win over an opponent ranked in the top-10 since a 71-52 victory over No. 6 Vanderbilt on Jan. 3, 2002.
* Bring an end to South Carolina’s current eight-game losing streak, which is tied for the longest in school history.
* Snap the Gamecocks’ 12-game road losing streak against SEC opponents. South Carolina’s last road win over an SEC opponent was a 79-64 victory over Ole Miss on March 2, 2003.
* Be the Gamecocks’ first road win against any opponent this season. Dating back to last season, the Gamecocks have lost 13 consecutive road games, with the last win an 84-61 triumph over the College of Charleston on Jan. 28, 2004.
* Snap South Carolina’s 15-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 16-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.
A CAROLINA LOSS WOULD:
* Move the Gamecocks to 0-11 in conference play this year and extend Carolina’s losing streak against SEC opposition to 17 games, dating back to a 77-51 win over Alabama on Feb. 12, 2004.
* Extend South Carolina’s losing streak against ranked opposition to 16 games. The Gamecocks’ last win over a ranked opponent was an 83-59 victory over No. 13 Arkansas on Feb. 16, 2003.
* Snap the Gamecocks’ 14-game road losing streak. Carolina’s last road win was an 84-61 triumph over the College of Charleston on Jan. 28, 2004.
* Extend the Lady Vols’ winning streak over the Gamecocks to 31 games. Carolina’s lone win in the all-time series with the Lady Vols was a 56-52 triumph in Columbia in 1980.
* Extend South Carolina’s current losing streak to nine games, establishing a new school record.
* Extend the Gamecocks’ road losing streak against SEC opponents to 13 games. South Carolina’s last road win over an SEC opponent was a 79-64 victory over Ole Miss on March 2, 2003.
MARCINIAK LIKELY TO MISS GAME
Carolina assistant and former Lady Vol star Michelle Marciniak will likely miss Thursday’s game in Knoxville to be in Pennsylvania with her father, who is experiencing complications following surgery. Her return date to the Gamecock bench is uncertain.
FABBRI BACK IN LINEUP
Starting point guard Lea Fabbri will be back in action after missing the last three games to be home in Croatia with her father, who was ill in the hospital. Fabbri’s father underwent surgery and has since been released from the hospital. Fabbri, who flew out on Feb. 4, returned to Columbia on Feb. 14 and practiced with the team the next day.
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 1-16 when two players or less hit double-figures.
* 40% – Carolina is 0-15 this year when shooting less than 40 percent from the field. Conversely, the Gamecocks’ opposition is 9-1 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 32 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
Thursday’s game is the final game of a three-game stretch in the schedule in which Carolina battles some of the nation’s best. The Gamecocks lost at Georgia last Thursday, then came home to suffer a 66-36 defeat at the hands of top-ranked LSU Sunday before traveling to Knoxville for this Thursday’s game with the Lady Vols.
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.
GAMECOCKS VS. THE TOP 10
South Carolina is 18-70 all-time against teams ranked in the top 10 (.205 pct.). The Gamecocks’ last win over a top-10 team was a 71-52 victory over No. 6 Vanderbilt on Jan. 3, 2002.
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 third in the SEC and among the leaders nationally in blocked shots. The Gamecocks have rejected 144 shots this year. USC’s previous single-season school record for blocks was 115, held by the Gamecocks of 2001-02.
SOME OF USC’S TROUBLES CAN BE FIXED
South Carolina has lost its last eight games for a variety of reasons, some of which can be corrected. For example, the Gamecocks have converted on only 60-of-111 free throw attempts during that span (54.1 percent), and have not valued their possessions, committing almost twice as many turnovers (160) as assists (87). In addition, South Carolina has not done a good job blocking out on rebounds of late, allowing the last seven opponents to grab 42.2 rebounds per game to USC’s 38.0 rebounds per game despite the Gamecocks’ pronounced height advantage over nearly every team.
LOW SHOOTING PERCENTAGES THROUGHOUT THE ROSTER
Of the seven players on South Carolina’s roster who have attempted 80 or more field goals this season, only Melanie Johnson owns a shooting percentage higher than 41 percent. Johnson shoots at a .477 clip.
POINTS ARE HARD TO COME BY
South Carolina ranks last in the SEC with 58.9 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 12 games. Included in that span are eight games with 50 points or less.
OUT OF WHACK STAT VS. LSU
South Carolina actually hung tough against the top-ranked Tigers for the first half, and even owned a 17-16 lead with 5:31 remaining in the first half. From that point, however, LSU went on a 34-2 run that included a 10:50 South Carolina scoring drought.
STARTING LINEUPS LIKE FINGERPRINTS…NO TWO ARE ALIKE
South Carolina has fielded 12 different starting lineups this season. With the exception of team-manager-turned-shooting-guard Ebony Jones, every player on the active roster has started at least three games this year. Lauren Simms is the only player to start in every game.
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.
3FGM STREAK REMAINS INTACT AT 113
The Gamecocks have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 113 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 is home to host Alabama at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Center. The Crimson Tide handed the Gamecocks a 75-62 beating in Tuscaloosa in the prior meeting between the two schools this year. Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on WISW 1320-AM with Andy Demetra handling play-by-play and Robin Muller providing analysis.
