Feb. 25, 2005

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THE BASICS
South Carolina (8-19; 2-11 SEC) looks to finish the regular-season with its third consecutive win when it travels to Oxford to face Ole Miss (17-9; 7-6 SEC) at 3 p.m. (EST) Sunday at Tad Smith Coliseum.

NOTE ON THE TIP TIME
Please note that Sunday’s 3 p.m. (EST) tip is different than the 2 p.m. (EST) tip time noted in the South Carolina Media Guide.

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 Sunday’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. 2004 SEC Co-Coach of the Year Carol Ross leads a solid Ole Miss squad. Formerly the head coach at Florida from 1991-2002, Ross returned to her alma mater when she was hired by Ole Miss in March of 2003. Ross played for the Lady Rebels from 1977-81.

A CAROLINA WIN WOULD:
o Mark the first time Carolina has won three consecutive SEC games since the end of the 2002-03 season, when the Gamecocks picked up wins over Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky and Ole Miss in the final four games of the regular season. o Be the Gamecocks’ fourth win in their last five meetings with Ole Miss. o Snap the Gamecocks’ 13-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. o Be the Gamecocks’ first road win against any opponent this season. Dating back to last season, the Gamecocks have lost 14 consecutive road games, with the last win an 84-61 triumph over the College of Charleston on Jan. 28, 2004.

A CAROLINA LOSS WOULD:
o Snap Carolina’s two-game winning streak against SEC opposition, which is the team’s longest such streak since winning four consecutive SEC games to close out the 2002-03 season. o Extend the Gamecocks’ road losing streak to 15 games. Carolina’s last road win was an 84-61 triumph over the College of Charleston on Jan. 28, 2004. o Extend the Gamecocks’ road losing streak against SEC opponents to 14 games. South Carolina’s last road win over an SEC opponent was a 79-64 victory over Ole Miss on March 2, 2003.

SIMMS OUT FOR OLE MISS GAME
South Carolina team captain and leading scorer Lauren Simms sustained a knee injury during the first half of last Sunday’s win over Alabama at the Colonial Center and did not return to the game. She did not dress in the Gamecocks’ win over Kentucky on Thursday. Simms has been diagnosed with a sprained right knee and underwent an MRI Sunday. She will be re-evaluated on Monday. Until she is re-evaluated, her status for the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament is unknown. A Freshman All-SEC selection a year ago, Simms earned a spot on the SEC Good Works team for her efforts in the community both as a freshman and as a sophomore. In the classroom, she owns one of the highest grade-point averages of any player on the Gamecock roster. The Columbia native and Spring Valley HS graduate averages 11.8 points per game and was the only Carolina player to have started every game this year prior to her injury. Since arriving on campus, Simms had not missed a game and started in 53 of South Carolina’s 54 games, with the lone exception coming after she sprained an ankle leading up to last year’s game at Tennessee on Feb. 8. Simms came off the bench that day to score 13 points and grab five rebounds.

GAMECOCKS CLAIM PAIR OF SEC WINS
After losing its first 11 SEC games this year, South Carolina claimed its first conference win of the season last game with a 66-57 win over Alabama at the Colonial Center last Sunday, then came back to knock off Kentucky, 60-47 in Columbia Thursday. Playing without its team captain and leading scorer for most of the game, the Gamecocks came together as a team against Alabama. For only the second time this year, four players scored in double figures in the same game, led by Stacy Booker’s 19-point effort. In Thursday’s win over Kentucky, it was again a team effort, as a trio of Gamecocks scored in double-figures and Carolina dominated the glass, owning a 51-38 advantage over the Wildcats. Iva Sliskovic led the way with her first double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

COMMON THREADS IN ALL OF CAROLINA’S WINS
All eight of South Carolina’s wins this year had the following in common: o All were played at the Colonial Center. o The Gamecocks did not trail at halftime o Carolina had a higher shooting percentage from the field than the opponent. o Carolina outrebounded the opponent. o No Gamecock player fouled out. o Carolina scored more points in the paint than the opponent. o The opponent did not score more points off turnovers than USC. o The Gamecocks scored more second-chance points than the opponent. o The Gamecocks scored 60 or more points.

CAROLINA’S KEY NUMBERS
o 20:00 – The Gamecocks are yet to win a game in which they trailed at the half. Conversely, Carolina is 7-3 when leading after the first 20 minutes of play. The Gamecocks are 1-1 in games that are tied at the half.

o 10 – The Gamecocks are 1-6 this year in games decided by 10 points or less, and are 1-11 in their last 12 games decided 10 points or less, dating back to an 81-79 win over Southern Utah on Dec. 5, 2003.

o 20 – Carolina is 2-15 in games decided by less than 20 points this year. Dating back to last season, the Gamecocks have lost 25 of their last 27 games decided by less than 20 points.

o 3/10 – South Carolina is 7-2 in games this season when three or more players score at least 10 points in the same game. The Gamecocks are 1-17 when two players or less hit double-figures.

o 40% – Carolina is 1-16 this year when shooting less than 40 percent from the field. Conversely, the Gamecocks’ opposition is 10-1 when shooting 40 percent from the field.

o 66 – Dating back to a 65-54 win over Auburn on Feb. 23, 2003, USC has lost 33 of its last 34 games when scoring less than 66 points.

o 16 – Carolina is 6-0 this season in games in which it distributes 16 assists as a team.

BOOKER LOGS BIG MINUTES
Stacy Booker has become a workhorse during the last four games. Booker played all 40 minutes against LSU on Feb. 13, played 35 minutes at Tennessee on Feb. 17, played 36 minutes against Alabama last Sunday and 39 minutes against Kentucky Thursday. Booker’s increased minutes have translated into increased production, as she has averaged 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game during that span. Booker scored 19 points against Alabama, scored 15 points against the top-ranked Tigers (a figure that nearly doubled her season average at the time) and set a new career high with seven assists at Tennessee. She just missed her first career double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds against Kentucky.

SLISKOVIC COMING AROUND
The team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder from a year ago, forward Iva Sliskovic matched a season-high with 14 points against Tennessee last Thursday, equaling her previous season-high set against the same Lady Vols squad on Jan. 27. Sliskovic added 10 points, six rebounds and four assists and matched a career-high with 39 minutes played in Carolina’s win over Alabama last Sunday. She enjoyed a career night when she scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in the Gamecocks’ win over Kentucky. She was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field against the Wildcats. Since arriving on campus, Sliskovic has been a very important player for South Carolina, as the team’s winning percentage jumps drastically when she scores in double figures. Sliskovic has reached double-figures in 21 games during her career. In those 21 games, South Carolina has compiled a 12-9 record.

MORE FROM SLISKOVIC
With 14 points at Tennessee, 10 points against Alabama and 16 points against Kentucky, Iva Sliskovic has scored in double figures against three consecutive SEC opponents for the first time in her career. Her 16-point, 15-rebound effort against the Wildcats marked her first double-double of the season.

OUT OF WHACK STAT VS. KENTUCKY
The Gamecocks shot 36.5 percent from the field against Kentucky but still won, marking the first time this season Carolina has won a game when shooting less than 40 percent from the field.

SEC TOURNAMENT OPENER SET FOR CAROLINA
South Carolina will play the No. 5 seed at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 in the first round of the SEC Tournament played at the Bi-Lo Center. The Gamecocks are locked into the No. 12 spot by virtue of the conference’s tie-breaking procedure. The fifth seed is not yet set, so Carolina’s first-round opponent remains unknown.

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 159 shots this year. USC’s previous single-season school record for blocks was 115, held by the Gamecocks of 2001-02.

MILESTONE WATCH FOR JOHNSON
With 48 blocked shots this season, sophomore forward Melanie Johnson is in a tie for fourth place on the South Carolina single-season blocks list. She needs only one block to move into a tie for third on the single-season list with Michelle Murray (1991-92).

UNDERCLASSMEN ABOUND
There are no seniors on the USC 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 1-6 this year in games decided by 10 points or less and 2-15 in games decided by less than 20 points. Dating back to last year, the Gamecocks have lost 11 of their last 12 games decided by 10 points or less and 26 of their last 28 games decided by less than 20 points.

STARTING LINEUPS LIKE FINGERPRINTS…NO TWO ARE ALIKE
South Carolina has fielded 13 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.

3FGM STREAK REMAINS INTACT AT 116
The Gamecocks have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 116 consecutive games during a streak that dates back to November of 2001 and is the longest such streak in school history.

WHAT’S NEXT
Carolina heads to the SEC Tournament at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville next week and battles the No. 5 seed at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The winner of the tournament secures the SEC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.