Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Dec. 12, 2005

THE BASICS
South Carolina (2-3; 0-0 Southeastern Conference) is back in action after a break for final exams when it hosts No. 14/14 Minnesota at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Colonial Center.

GAMEDAY PROMOTION
It’s Dollar Night at the Colonial Center, with all fans getting in for one dollar. In addition, the first 200 fans will receive a free t-shirt and poster. This promotion has been one of the most popular promotions through the years, with large crowds being the norm.

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 go to the women’s basketball home page and click on “Schedule/Results”. At the top of the page is a link for Audio Broadcasts. Click on that link, then select the game you wish to listen to.

THE COACHES
Susan Walvius is in her ninth year at the helm of the South Carolina women’s basketball program and her 16th 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. Fourth-year Minnesota head coach Pam Borton has enjoyed a good deal of success since taking the reigns of the Golden Gopher program in 2002-03, as she has led Minnesota to a pair of Sweet 16 appearances as well as a trip to the 2004 Final Four. Borton coached Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville to a combined four WBCA/Kodak All-America honors.

CAROLINA FROM A DISTANCE
South Carolina started the season with a pair of home wins over High Point and Winthrop, but a pair of narrow defeats at the hands of then-No. 18 Texas and then-No. 19 Purdue at the Junkanoo Jam tournament in The Bahamas set up a bitter home defeat to Georgia Southern on Nov. 29. The Gamecocks have five players averaging 7.8 points or more per game, but nobody averaging in double figures. Freshman Demetress Adams has emerged as an early bright spot for a Carolina team that ranks among the SEC leaders in field goal percentage defense and blocked shots.

MINNESOTA FROM A DISTANCE
Minnesota has become the class of the Big Ten in recent years, winning more games than any other conference opponent in the last three seasons under coach Pam Borton. A staple in the Associated Press poll the last few years, the question surrounding the Golden Gophers this season is will they be able to survive the loss of Whalen and McCarville to the WNBA. The transition has been a smooth one so far with Minnesota claiming wins over such teams as Stanford and Virginia this year. Forwards Natasha Williams and Jamie Broback have led the Gophers in the early going, but Minnesota has a stable of very good players such as guards April Calhoun, Shannon Schonrock, Kelly Roysland and forwards Liz Podominick and Shannon Bolden, all of whom can all do substantial damage.

WALVIUS IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
Entering Tuesday’s game, the Gamecocks have compiled an 82-42 record in regular-season non-conference games under Susan Walvius, including a 51-9 mark in non-conference games played in Columbia.

A CAROLINA WIN WOULD:

• Improve Susan Walvius' record to 52-9 all-time in non-conference games played at home.•  Snap a 17-game losing streak against ranked opponents that dates back to an 83-59 win over No. 13 Arkansas on Feb. 16, 2003.•  Mark the Gamecocks' first win over a ranked non-conference opponent since a 54-51 win over No. 18 Boston College on Nov. 30, 2002.•  Extend South Carolina's advantage to 3-1 in the all-time series with Minnesota.•  Improve the Gamecocks' record to 16-8 all-time against teams from the Big Ten.•  Put the Gamecocks' back at the .500 mark for the season.

CAROLINA DEFENSE AMONG NATION’S BEST
The Gamecocks lead the SEC and rank second in the nation by holding the opposition to .308 shooting from the field. Carolina also ranks among the top 30 teams in the nation in blocked shots (fourth/7.40 bpg), scoring defense (23rd/53.0 opp. ppg) and steals (26th/12.20 spg).

GOPHERS ARE TRAIL BLAZERS AT COLONIAL CENTER
Minnesota is the first ranked non-conference opponent to visit the Colonial Center since it opened for the 2002-03 season. In fact, the Golden Gophers are the first ranked non-conference opponent to play the Gamecocks in Columbia since No. 22 North Carolina State claimed a 55-58 win at the Carolina Coliseum on Dec. 4, 2000.

ADAMS A NAME TO REMEMBER
South Carolina freshman Demetress Adams came to USC as one of the top post players in the state last year and has not disappointed early on. The Lee Central HS graduate recorded a double-double in her first game at the collegiate level, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 boards against High Point. She came back to score a game-high 17 points and grab nine rebounds in Carolina’s next game against Winthrop. Through the Gamecocks’ first five games, Adams ranks either first or second on the team in points per game (9.8), rebounds per game (8.6), field goal percentage (.536 pct), free throw percentage (.731 pct), blocked shots (9) and steals (13).

MORE FROM ADAMS
The play of Demetress Adams has become somewhat of an early barometer for Carolina’s success this year. In Carolina’s two wins, Adams averages 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. In the Gamecocks’ three losses, the freshman averages 7.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

REBOUNDING WINS GAMES FOR CAROLINA
With a roster loaded with players 6-0 or taller, South Carolina is at its best when it controls the glass. In the Gamecocks’ two wins, Carolina owns a +20.5 rebounding margin. That margin plummets to +4.7 in the Gamecocks’ three losses.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE THREAT
Junior Melanie Johnson is without question one of the best athletes on the team and is a threat to record a double-double on any given night. After notching six double-doubles last season, it only took her two games to post her first of the 2005-06 campaign, as she scored 15 points and collected a game-high 13 rebounds in the Gamecocks’ win over Winthrop. Johnson scored eight points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had four steals against Purdue.

WANTED: CONSISTENT GO-TO PLAYER
Though balanced scoring is something that a lot of teams would like to achieve, South Carolina is looking for the opposite. Carolina needs players to elevate their level of play and stake a permanent claim to a starting spot. A total of six different Gamecocks average 6.3 or more points per game, but nobody on the team averages more than 9.8 points per game.

SINGIN’ THE CLOSE-GAME BLUES
Each of South Carolina’s three losses this season were by eight points or less. Close games have been the Gamecocks’ nemesis for some time now, as Carolina is 1-11 in its last 12 games decided by 10 points or less. Dating back to 2003-04, the Gamecocks have lost 31 of their last 33 games decided by 20 points or less.

TURNOVERS TAKE THEIR TOLL
Turnovers have been a very clear problem for the Gamecocks this year, as Carolina gives the ball away 24.0 times per game. Only two players on the Gamecock roster have dished out more assists than turnovers, with the two being 6-5 forward Iva Sliskovic (15 assists, 12 turnovers) and true freshman Brionna Dickerson (four assists, two turnovers). In Carolina’s two wins, the Gamecocks have a turnover margin of +1.5. In USC’s three losses, the Gamecocks have a turnover margin of -7.7.

WHAT’S NEXT
The Gamecocks host Ohio University at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 15 at the Colonial Center. The game will be broadcast live on WISW 1320-AM with Andy Demetra handling play-by-play and Robin Muller providing analysis.