Oct. 11, 2006

Free throw shooting might NEVER be the same after Friday night’s (Oct. 13) competition at the USC Basketball Practice Facility as part of USC’s HARDWOOD HOOPLA 2006 (full details follow list below).

Free throw experts? Where else would you find a bunch of NCAA All-Americans – including a two-time NCAA champion, a Chief Justice, a Mayor, the star quarterback of the home team, a beat writer and local radio personalities pitted against the National Volleyball Player of the Week, a couple big-time golfers, some of college baseball’s finest and one of softball’s finest, a local sports anchor, an champion equestrian rider – the list goes on and on. It’s a list of who’s who of NON-BASKETBALL PLAYERS in this free throw competition. Check out the list of those competing!

USC Athletes

Football – Syvelle Newton (All-State basketball player in high school), Garrett Anderson

Baseball – Wynn Pelzer, Robbie Grinestaff, Dan Luczak, Andrew Crisp

Men’s Golf – Patrick Rada, Patrick Cunning

Track and Field – Precious Akins, Jason Richardson, Shalonda Solomon

Softball – Chrissy Schoonmaker

Women’s Tennis – Gira Schofield

Volleyball – Shonda Cole (HS leading scorer)

Equestrian – Ellen Hogate

Local Media/Celebrities

Columbia Mayor Bob Coble

S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal

WLTX morning anchor Curtis Wilson

WIS Sports Anchor Rick Henry

Rich Taylor – ESPN Radio

Kent Babb – The State (basketball beat writer)

Kevin McCrarey – S.C. News Network

With the college basketball season set to tip-off with practice the next day, the South Carolina men’s and women’s basketball teams will host HARDWOOD HOOPLA 2006 as part of Spend an Evening with the Gamecocks on Fri., Oct. 13 in the USC Basketball Practice Facility/Volleyball Competition Facility.

Spend an Evening with the Gamecocks will begin with the Carolina Volleyball team taking the court vs. Ole Miss at 6 pm.

Hardwood Hoopla admission includes free Pizza Hut pizza, Coke products and fun!

* Free HARDWOOD HOOPLA 2006 t-shirts

* Autographs by the South Carolina men’s and women’s basketball team and coaches

* Games and Prizes – including tickets to the Ringling Brothers Circus, Monster Jam Truck Show, Kristi Yamaguchi; autographed basketballs and official team gear.

* “Celebrity” free-throw shooting contest

* Co-ed scrimmage with the USC men’s and women’s basketball teams

* Cocky and the cheerleaders

* Get your picture taken with Cocky and the 2005 and 2006 NIT Championship trophy

The following is the schedule for Spend an Evening with the Gamecocks!

* USC Volleyball vs. Ole Miss — 6 pm

* HARDWOOD HOOPLA 2006 –8:30 pm or immediately following the volleyball match.

All events will take place at the USC Basketball Practice Facility/Volleyball Competition Facility at the corner of Assembly and Blossom Streets.

Price includes admission to Carolina-Ole Miss volleyball match and HARDWOOD HOOPLA 2006. All money collected after 7:00 pm will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

* $12 family

* $5 individual

* $3 youth/senior citizen

* FREE for USC students and faculty/staff with an ID