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March 26, 2007
2006-07 In A Nutshell
The South Carolina women’s basketball team posted its second straight winning season and made its second consecutive trip to the Women’s NIT in 2006-07, finishing with an 18-15 overall record and a 6-8 mark in Southeastern Conference play. Carolina finished eighth in the final SEC standings, then went on to beat Auburn in the first round of the SEC Tournament before falling to SEC regular-season champion Tennessee in the second round. The Gamecocks earned a first-round bye in the WNIT, blew out America East Conference regular-season champ Hartford by an 81-40 margin in the second round, then saw their season end with a 64-59 defeat at the hands of Hofstra in the third round.
Narrow Miss Of An NCAA Tournament Bid
South Carolina was recognized as a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament by ESPN.com’s Charlie Creme, who listed the Gamecocks as one of the top five teams left out of the Big Dance in his final NCAA Tournament bracket projection. South Carolina was ranked No. 65 in the latest version of the NCAA’s RPI to be made public, which included games through March 5. The Gamecocks faced the nation’s No. 35 schedule, according to the final Collegerpi.com strength of schedule rankings. Carolina was in the discussion for a spot in the NCAA Tournament field thanks partly to the fact that the Gamecocks were one of only 18 teams in the nation to pick up a pair of wins over top-50 opposition since Feb. 15, as Carolina knocked off Auburn on Feb. 15, then came back to beat the Tigers again in the first round of the SEC Tournament on March 1. Carolina split its last 10 games of the season, but only lost to elite teams down the stretch, as the Gamecocks didn’t lose a game to anyone ranked below No. 12 nationally since January 21. South Carolina looked to become the fifth SEC team admitted into the NCAA Tournament field with a sub-.500 record in conference play, as 2001 Arkansas, 2000 Vanderbilt and 1999 Florida all had 6-8 SEC records and got in and 1997 Auburn compiled a 5-7 SEC mark to earn a spot in the Big Dance. The SEC had the top conference RPI of any league in the nation, but it wasn’t enough to sway the selection committee in Carolina’s favor.
Senior Salute
The South Carolina women’s basketball program said its final on-court goodbyes to six seniors after their respective careers ended in 2006-07. A closer look at the Gamecock Women’s Basketball Class of 2007:
Stacy Booker
:: On track to graduate in 2007.
:: Ranks among South Carolina’s career top-10 in three-point field goals made and three-point field goal attempts.
:: Scored a career-high 28 points against Clemson in 2004.
:: Erupted for 27 points in Carolina’s win over Auburn in 2007.
:: Drained five three-pointers against both Stanford and Auburn in 2007.
Lea Fabbri
:: On track to graduate in 2007.
:: Three-time member of the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll will likely be included on the list again this year when it is announced.
:: Set a new career high with 11 assists against North Carolina A&T, a figure that stands as the fifth-highest single-game assist total in school history.
:: Scored 15 points and dished out 10 assists against Clemson in 2004.
:: Led the team in assists her sophomore and junior seasons.
:: Represented her native Croatia at the 2004 FIBA European Championship For Under-20 Women.
Shannel Harris
:: Graduated cum laude from South Carolina in August with a degree in finance and a minor in psychology. She is currently working on a second business administration degree in management with an emphasis on human resources.
:: Earned a spot on the SEC Good Works Team in 2006 for her contributions to the community.
:: Three-time member of the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll will likely be included on the list again this year when it is announced.
:: Scored a career-high 13 points in Carolina’s win over No. 14 Minnesota in 2005.
:: The top perimeter defender on the team.
:: Turned in double-figure scoring games against Mississippi State and Arkansas in 2007.
Iva Sliskovic
:: On track to graduate in 2007.
:: Earned SEC Player of the Week in 2006 after turning in a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists against High Point.
:: All-Tournament honoree at the 2006 South Carolina Thanksgiving Classic, the 2005 Junkanoo Jam and the 2003 Southwest Airlines Lobo Shootout.
:: Three-time member of the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll will likely be included on the list again this year when it is announced.
:: Ranks second on South Carolina’s career defensive rebounds chart and is the No. 4 shot-blocker in school history.
:: Represented her native Croatia at the 2004 FIBA European Championship For Under-20 Women.
Lauren Simms
:: On track to graduate in 2007.
:: Became only the 26th player in school history to score 1,000 points when she hit that milestone in 2007.
:: Two-time member of the SEC Good Works Team for her contributions in the community.
:: Freshman All-SEC performer in 2004.
:: All-Tournament honoree at the 2004 WBCA/BTI Classic in Seattle.
:: Three-time member of the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll will likely be included on the list again this year when it is announced.
Larissa Kulcsar
:: Participated in graduation ceremonies in December of 2006 with a degree in international business. South Carolina has the No. 1 international business school in the country.
:: Three-time member of the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll will likely be included on the list again this year when it is announced.
:: Scored a career-high 15 points against Appalachian State in 2003.
:: Collected a career-high eight rebounds in Carolina’s 80-48 win over Clemson in 2006.
2006-07 Team Accomplishments
:: The Gamecocks earned a berth into the 2007 Women’s NIT, marking the fourth time in the last six years that South Carolina played in the post-season.
:: With two wins over teams with RPIs in the top 50 coming out of conference tournament play, South Carolina had more quality wins than 23 teams that were included into the NCAA Tournament field.
:: The Gamecocks were one of only 18 teams in the nation to win a pair of games over top-50 opposition from February 15 through the end of conference tournament play. The only other teams able to make that same claim were Tennessee, Duke, Connecticut, Maryland, Purdue, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, LSU, Marquette, Rutgers, Texas A&M, NC State, Iowa State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and DePaul, all of whom were included into the NCAA Tournament field. The Gamecocks added another top-50 win when they wiped out Hartford, 81-40 in the second round of the Women’s NIT.
:: Carolina set new single-season school records for blocked shots (199), offensive rebounds (592), defensive rebounds (863) and rebounding margin (+8.5).
:: The Gamecocks pounded in-state rival Clemson by an 80-48 margin on Nov. 20, marking the second straight year that Carolina has beaten Clemson by more than 30 points.
:: Carolina’s 31-point bludgeoning of Clemson marked the third-most lopsided win in the 52-game series history.
:: South Carolina slammed Alabama by a 95-35 score on Jan. 14, marking the most lopsided victory ever for the Gamecocks against an SEC opponent. Carolina recorded 22 steals and forced the Crimson Tide into committing 34 turnovers in the game. The Gamecocks held Alabama without a point for a span of 10 minutes and 39 seconds midway through the first half and spilling over into the beginning of the second half. The 60-point win over Alabama was the largest blowout since Carolina wiped out Bethune-Cookman by an 87-26 score in 2005.
:: The Gamecocks held No. 7 LSU to a season-low total of 49 points.
:: South Carolina established a new Colonial Center record by scoring 117 points in a 117-63 win over North Carolina A&T on Nov. 17.
:: Carolina’s 117 points against North Carolina A&T tied for the fourth-most points scored in school history and were the most since the Gamecocks scored 117 points against East Tennessee State in 2000.
:: The Gamecocks scored 57 points in the first half and 60 points in the second half of their win over North Carolina A&T. The 60-point second half marked the fourth-highest scoring half in school history and the 57-point first half ranked as the eighth-highest scoring half in school history.
:: The South Carolina bench outscored North Carolina A&T’s bench 81-7 in the Gamecocks’ 117-63 win over the Aggies on Nov. 17.
2006-07 Individual Accomplishments
:: Senior guard Lauren Simms became the 26th member of South Carolina’s 1,000-point club with a baseline jumper in the second half of Carolina’s game against LSU on February 4. In reaching the 1,000-point mark, Simms became the sixth Columbia native to score 1,000 points during her career with the hometown Gamecocks, joining Brantley Southers (1,982 points from 1981-86), Martha Parker (1,728 points from 1985-89), Shaunzinski Gortman (1,367 points from 1998-2002), Lisa Diaz (1,249 points from 1986-90) and Marsi McAlister (1,160 points from 1981-85). Of the 26 players currently in the Gamecocks’ 1,000-point club, 16 are South Carolina natives.
:: Senior forward Melanie Johnson was honored as the SEC Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 5-12. Johnson led South Carolina to a 78-53 victory over East Tennessee State in the Gamecocks’ season opener on Nov. 12, scoring a game-high 23 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Johnson was the difference in the game, going on a 13-0 run by herself at a key moment of the second half to take a 62-51 Gamecock lead and blow it open to a 75-51 advantage in a span of only two minutes and 15 seconds to put the game out of reach. Johnson added six rebounds and five steals in the contest.
:: Senior forward Iva Sliskovic was recognized as the SEC Player of the Week for her efforts against High Point and South Carolina State Dec. 20 and 23. Sliskovic turned in the most impressive performance of her career when she posted a triple-double in the Gamecocks’ 87-49 win over High Point on Dec. 20, scoring 18 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. She came back to score 15 points, grab seven rebounds, dish out two assists and make four steals in only 22 minutes of action in Carolina’s 85-42 win over South Carolina State on Dec. 23. Sliskovic averaged 16.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists for the week and converted on 14-of-19 field goal attempts (.737 pct.)
:: Forward Lakesha Tolliver set a new single-season school record with 60 blocked shots. The previous record was 58, set by Teresa Geter in 2000-01.
:: Freshman forward Kellindra Zackery scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 17 in only her third game on the collegiate level. Her 28 points ranked as the fourth-highest single-game scoring total for a freshman in school history.
:: Senior guard Stacy Booker set a season high with 27 points in the Gamecocks’ 70-61 win over Auburn. Booker matched a career high with five three-pointers made in that contest and scored the final nine points of the game to lift the Gamecocks to victory when the score was tied at 61.
:: Senior guard Lea Fabbri dished out 11 assists with only one turnover against North Carolina A&T to set a new career-high assist total. Her 11 assists tied for the fifth-highest single-game assist total in school history.
:: Sophomore forward Demetress Adams posted the fourth double-double of her career when she scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Clemson on Nov. 20.
:: Demetress Adams set a career high and matched a Colonial Center record with five blocked shots in the Gamecocks’ win over Auburn.
:: Junior center Ilona Burgrova set a career high and matched a Colonial Center record with five blocked shots in the Gamecocks’ 79-51 win over Florida.
:: Iva Sliskovic earned all-tournament accolades at the South Carolina Thanksgiving Classic after averaging 11.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in contests against Mercer and Louisiana-Lafayette. Sliskovic scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds against the Ragin’ Cajuns in the championship game.
:: Sophomore guard Brionna Dickerson earned a spot on the SEC Community Service Team for her work in the Columbia area.
:: Junior forward Lakesha Tolliver blocked five shots at Mississippi State on Jan. 21 to match a career high and come just one block shy of matching the single-game school record.
:: Lauren Simms turned in 20-point scoring games at Arkansas (23 points) and at Mississippi State (20 points).
:: Senior guard Shannel Harris graduated in August with a degree in finance and a minor in psychology. She graduated cum laude and is working on a second business administration degree in management with an emphasis on human resources.
:: Senior forward Larissa Kulcsar participated in graduation ceremonies on Dec. 18, earning a degree in international business. South Carolina has the No. 1-ranked international business major in the country.
High Point Of The Season
There is little doubt that the Gamecocks peaked late in the season, picking up their three best wins of the year after Valentine’s Day. Carolina knocked off Auburn, 70-61 on Feb. 15, but the highlight of the season was a 65-63 win over the same Auburn team in the first round of the SEC Tournament. A first-round loss in the conference tournament would have eliminated any hope of Carolina earning a bid into the NCAA Tournament, but at the time, it was believed that a win over a solid Auburn team at the conference tournament would improve the Gamecocks’ standing in the eyes of the selection committee. The Tigers also had a good deal at stake going into that game, as they owned a 19-11 overall record entering the contest and with an RPI among the top 50 in the nation, could have strengthened their case for an NCAA bid with a win over the Gamecocks. The two teams went back and forth all game, with Auburn opening up an 11-point lead with 11:02 remaining in the contest. Carolina stormed back behind its defense, holding the Tigers to only one field goal over the next five minutes to tie the game at 54 with 6:03 left. The two teams continued their fight to the end, but a layup by Ilona Burgrova with 20 seconds remaining gave the Gamecocks a 64-63 lead. Carolina got a defensive stop on the ensuing Auburn possession to seal the win and advance to the second round of the tournament.
Low Point Of The Season
South Carolina lost a heartbreaking 67-66 decision to No. 14 Vanderbilt at the Colonial Center on January 11, but the way in which the Gamecocks lost the game is what made it particularly excruciating. Carolina put together arguably its best first half performance of the year against the Commodores and took a 38-31 lead into the locker room at halftime after converting on 16-of-33 attempts from the field (.485 pct.) It was more of the same to start the second half, and the Gamecocks appeared to be in complete control after swelling their lead to 60-49 with 6:20 remaining in the game. Things began to fall apart for Carolina after that point, as the Gamecocks committed seven turnovers and missed seven of nine free throw attempts down the stretch to enable the Commodores to piece together an 18-6 run and steal the victory. With South Carolina as close as it was to earning a bid into the NCAA Tournament, several observers pointed to the near-miss against a Vanderbilt team ranked among the top 15 teams in the nation to be one of the decisive factors in the Gamecocks’ omission from the Big Dance.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
November (4-3 record) wins vs. East Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T, Clemson and Mercer; losses to Penn State, Louisiana-Lafayette and NC State.
:: Forward Melanie Johnson is recognized as the SEC Player of the Week after leading South Carolina to a 78-53 victory over East Tennessee State in the Gamecocks’ season opener on Nov. 12, scoring a game-high 23 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Johnson was the difference in the game, going on a 13-0 run by herself at a key moment of the second half to take a 62-51 Gamecock lead and blow it open to a 75-51 advantage in a span of only two minutes and 15 seconds to put the game out of reach. Johnson added six rebounds and five steals in the contest.
:: The Gamecocks set a new Colonial Center record by scoring 117 points in a 117-63 win over North Carolina A&T on Nov. 17. The 117 points ties for the fourth-highest scoring output in school history.
:: Forward Kellindra Zackery scores 28 points and grabs 11 rebounds against North Carolina A&T in only her third game at the collegiate level. Making Zackery’s performance even more impressive is the fact that she played only 26 minutes.
:: Carolina whips arch-rival Clemson, 80-48 on Nov. 20, marking the second straight year in which the Gamecocks beat the Tigers by more than 30 points. The 31-point margin marked the third-most lopsided win in the 52-game series history.
:: The Gamecocks limit Mercer to 30 points in a 77-30 victory in the first round of the South Carolina Thanksgiving Classic. Mercer’s 30 points marks the third-lowest total allowed by the Gamecocks in school history.
:: Forward Iva Sliskovic earns all-tournament honors at the South Carolina Thanksgiving Classic after scoring 16 points and grabbing five rebounds in the championship game against Louisiana-Lafayette.
December (5-1 record) wins vs. Fordham, High Point, South Carolina State, Samford and UNC Wilmington; loss to No. 3 Oklahoma.
:: Carolina’s five December wins come by an average margin of 32.2 points per game.
:: Forward Iva Sliskovic is recognized as the SEC Player of the Week after posting a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in the Gamecocks’ win over High Point.
:: Guard Lauren Simms posts her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 assists in Carolina’s win over South Carolina State.
:: No. 3 Oklahoma leaves the Colonial Center with a 78-51 win over the Gamecocks. The Sooners started both the first half and the second half with substantial runs that had Carolina playing catch-up all game.
January (4-5 record) wins vs. Winthrop, Alabama, Florida and Kentucky; losses to Kentucky, No. 10 Stanford, No. 14 Vanderbilt, No. 24 Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
:: The Gamecocks face Winthrop on New Year’s Day, limiting the Eagles to 30 points. Winthrop’s 30 points match the third-lowest scoring total allowed by the Gamecocks in school history.
:: Carolina picks up its most lopsided SEC victory in school history when it romps to a 95-35 win over Alabama. The Gamecocks held the Crimson Tide scoreless for one span of 10 minutes and 44 seconds during the blowout.
:: The Gamecocks split a pair of games against Kentucky, with each team picking up a win on its home floor.
:: Forward Melanie Johnson posts back-to-back double-doubles in a pair of Carolina wins over Florida and Kentucky, respectively. Johnson scores 22 points and grabs 12 rebounds against the Gators and goes for 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Wildcats.
February (3-4 record) wins over Arkansas, Auburn and Mississippi State; losses to No. 3 Tennessee, No. 7 LSU, No. 9 Georgia and No. 12 Vanderbilt.
:: The Gamecocks rally from significant second-half deficits in two of their three of their February wins, as Carolina trailed Arkansas by 10 with 10:02 remaining and trailed Mississippi State by nine with with 14:14 remaining.
:: Guard Lauren Simms scores her 1,000th career point when she sinks a baseline jumper against LSU on Feb. 7.
:: Simms posts back-to-back 20-plus point scoring games against Arkansas (23 points) and against Georgia (a season-high 25 points).
:: Guard Stacy Booker erupts for 27 points in the Gamecocks’ win over Auburn, draining five three-pointers and scoring the final nine points of the game to seal the victory.
March (2-2 record) wins over Auburn and Hartford; losses to No. 2 Tennessee and Hofstra.
:: Carolina picks up a dramatic 65-63 win over Auburn in the first round of the SEC Tournament after forward Melanie Johnson finds center Ilona Burgrova for the game-winning layup with 20 seconds remaining.
:: The Gamecocks narrowly miss out on an NCAA Tournament bid, but qualify for the Women’s NIT, where they pick up a resounding 81-48 win over Hartford.
:: Forward Lakesha Tolliver sets a new school record when she blocks her 59th shot of the season against Hofstra. Tolliver adds another block later in the game to set the new single-season blocks record at 60.
Anatomy Of The Team
Experience, height and depth were three relevant prongs of South Carolina’s attack in 2006-07. The Gamecocks entered the season as the most experienced team in the nation in terms of game experience as the 13-player active roster boasted seven seniors, a redshirt junior and a pair of true juniors. A total of seven different South Carolina players stood 6-feet-tall or above. The Gamecocks were the second-tallest team in the SEC behind Auburn and the 14th-tallest team in the nation. No Gamecock player averaged a double-figure scoring total, but seven Carolina players scored between 5.8 and 9.8 points per game.
Carolina Faced The Nation’s Best
South Carolina got a first-hand look at some of the best teams in the nation this year, as the Gamecocks faced six teams that were ranked in the top-10 at the time of the game and went toe-to-toe with seven of the top 17 teams in the current Associated Press poll. The Gamecocks hosted No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 7 LSU at the Colonial Center and went on the road to face No. 3 Tennessee, No. 9 Georgia and No. 10 Stanford. Carolina faced No. 2 Tennessee in the second round of the SEC Tournament.
Carolina’s Strong Finish Put It On An Elite List
The Gamecocks were one of only 18 teams in the nation to win a pair of games over top-50 opposition from February 15 through the end of conference tournament play. The only other teams able to make that same claim were Tennessee, Duke, Connecticut, Maryland, Purdue, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, LSU, Marquette, Rutgers, Texas A&M, NC State, Iowa State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and DePaul, all of whom were included into the NCAA Tournament field.
Quality Wins For The Gamecocks
With two wins over teams with RPIs in the top 50 through the end of conference tournament play, South Carolina had more quality wins than 23 teams that were included into the NCAA Tournament field. The Gamecocks added a third win over a top-50 team by routing No. 47 Hartford in the first round of the Women’s NIT, 81-40.
Sliskovic Earns SEC Player of the Week
South Carolina senior forward Iva Sliskovic was recognized as the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week for her efforts against High Point and South Carolina State. Sliskovic turned in the most impressive performance of her career when she posted a triple-double in the Gamecocks’ 87-49 win over High Point on Dec. 20, scoring 18 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. She came back to score 15 points, grab seven rebounds, dish out two assists and make four steals in only 22 minutes of action in Carolina’s 85-42 win over South Carolina State on Dec. 23. Sliskovic averaged 16.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists for the week and converted on 14-of-19 field goal attempts (.737 pct.) In receiving the honor, Sliskovic became the second Gamecock this year to be recognized as SEC Player of the Week, as teammate Melanie Johnson earned the award the first week of the season.
Johnson Earns SEC Player Of The Week
South Carolina senior forward Melanie Johnson (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) earned SEC Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 5-12. Johnson led South Carolina to a 78-53 victory over East Tennessee State in the Gamecocks’ season opener on Nov. 12, scoring a game-high 23 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Johnson was the difference in the game, going on a 13-0 run by herself at a key moment of the second half to take a 62-51 Gamecock lead and blow it open to a 75-51 advantage in a span of only two minutes and 15 seconds to put the game out of reach. Johnson added six rebounds and five steals in the contest. The honor marked the first time in her career that Johnson was honored as the SEC Player of the Week. A preseason second-team all-SEC honoree, Johnson is the first Gamecock to win the award since Demetress Adams was recognized on Dec. 26, 2005. In receiving the award, Johnson becomes the ninth Gamecock ever to be recognized as the SEC Player of the Week, joining Shannon Johnson, Annie Lester, Teresa Geter, Shaunzinski Gortman, Kelly Morrone, Cristina Ciocan, Jocelyn Penn and Adams. Johnson’s 23 points against East Tennessee State ranked as the second-highest scoring total of her career and marked her second consecutive 20-plus point game, as she scored 21 points against Xavier in the final game of last season.
A Season For The Record Books
Numerous school records fell in 2006-07, as the Gamecocks established new single-season marks for blocked shots (199), offensive rebounds (592), defensive rebounds (863) and rebounding margin (+8.5). In addition, forward Lakesha Tolliver established a new single-season record for blocked shots with 60, surpassing the existing school record of 58 set by Teresa Geter in 2000-01. A closer look:
Player Single-Season Blocks
1. 60 Lakesha Tolliver (2006-07)
2. 58 Teresa Geter (2000-01)
3. 54 Melanie Johnson (2004-05)
4. 53 Michelle Murray (1990-91)
5. 49 Michelle Murray (1991-92)
The Gamecocks finished 2006-07 with a 15-5 record at home, matching the single-season school record for home victories set by the Gamecocks of 1979-80 and matched by the Elite Eight team of 2001-02. Carolina’s 15 home wins in 2006-07 set a new Colonial Center record, surpassing the previous mark of 14 victories by the Gamecocks of 2002-03. Speaking of Colonial Center records, both Ilona Burgrova and Demetress Adams matched the facility record for blocked shots in a single game, as Adams rejected five shots against Auburn on Feb. 15 and Burgrova swatted five shots against Florida on Jan. 25.
Simms Joins 1,000-Point Club
Senior guard Lauren Simms became the 26th member of South Carolina’s 1,000-point club when she drained a baseline jumper in the second half of South Carolina’s game against LSU on Jan. 7. In reaching the 1,000-point mark, Simms became the sixth Columbia native to score 1,000 points during her career with the hometown Gamecocks, joining Brantley Southers (1,982 points from 1981-86), Martha Parker (1,728 points from 1985-89), Shaunzinski Gortman (1,367 points from 1998-2002), Lisa Diaz (1,249 points from 1986-90) and Marsi McAlister (1,160 points from 1981-85). Of the 26 players currently in the Gamecocks’ 1,000-point club, 16 are South Carolina natives. Simms finished her career with 1,109 career points, a mark that puts her 20th on South Carolina’s all-time scoring list. A closer look:
South Carolina Career Scoring Leaders
19. Marsi McAlister (1981-85) 1,160 points
20. Lauren Simms (2003-07) 1,109 points
21. Lisa Williams (1995-99) 1,099 points
22. Jean Walling (1977-80) 1,063 points
Tolliver In Position To Set Career Blocks Record
Lakesha Tolliver has blocked 130 shots in her career. Michelle Murray (148 blocked shots from 1989-93) is the school record holder.
Adams On Pace To Be An Elite Shot Blocker As Well
Forward Demetress Adams is on track to follow Tolliver as the next dominant shot-blocker at South Carolina. With 63 career rejections through her first two seasons at the collegiate level, Adams already ranks among Carolina’s career top 10 and is well on pace to earn a spot in the top five before her career ends.
2006-07 Gamecocks Set New Blocks Record
The Gamecocks blocked 199 shots as a team in 2006-07 to surpass the existing school record of 193 set by the Gamecocks of 2005-06. In fact, the top three marks in school history have been set each of the past three years. A closer look:
Team Single-Season Blocks
1. 199 2006-07 (33 games)
2. 193 2005-06 (29 games)
3. 176 2004-05 (29 games)
4. 115 2001-02 (32 games)
5. 114 1981-82 (31 games)
Carolina Makes Mark On Steals List
As a team, South Carolina made 392 steals in 2006-07, a mark that stands as the third-highest total in school history. The school record for steals in a single-season is 496, set by the Gamecocks of 1979-80. A closer look:
Team Single-Season Steals
1. 496 1979-80 (36 games)
2. 406 2001-02 (32 games)
3. 392 2006-07 (33 games)
4. 384 1998-99 (27 games)
5. 366 2002-03 (31 games)
6. 358 1981-82 (31 games)
7. 357 1977-78 (34 games)
8. 324 1985-86 (30 games)
9. 313 1999-2000 (28 games)
10. 310 1988-89 (30 games)
Sliskovic In The Top Five
Senior Iva Sliskovic moved into Carolina’s top five all-time in defensive rebounds in 2006-07, as the senior from Croatia passed Jocelyn Penn (1998-03) to take sole possession of second place on the all-time Gamecock list during Carolina’s win over Kentucky on Jan. 28. Sliskovic finished her career with 491 defensive rebounds. Marsha Williams (599 defensive rebounds from 1989-93) is the school record holder.
Booker Cracks Into The Top 10
Senior Stacy Booker moved into the South Carolina career top 10 in three-point field goals attempted during the Gamecocks’ game at Kentucky Jan. 4. Booker finished her career ranking seventh on the all-time Carolina list with 418 career three-point attempts. Nicki Bass (470 three-point attempts from 1990-94) is in sixth.
More From Booker In The Top 10
Stacy Booker also earned a spot in South Carolina’s career top-10 for three-pointers made this season, cracking into the list on Jan. 11 against Vanderbilt. Booker finished her career in seventh place on the Carolina list with 119 three-pointers made. Nicki Bass (152 three-pointers made from 1990-94) is in sixth.
Carolina Posts Biggest Blowout Ever Over SEC Foe
South Carolina handed Alabama a 95-35 pounding on Jan. 14. The Gamecocks recorded 22 steals and forced the Crimson Tide into committing 34 turnovers and led by as many as 62 points in the second half. Carolina held Alabama scoreless for a span of 10 minutes and 39 seconds from the middle of the first half through the beginning of the second half. The win marked the most lopsided ever by the Gamecocks over an SEC opponent and was the biggest Carolina blowout since the Gamecocks wiped out Bethune-Cookman by an 87-26 margin last season. The biggest blowout in school history was a 137-34 win over Wheeling College in 1979.
Carolina Bench Dominates The Opposition’s
Though bench production is not measured in any conference or national rankings, South Carolina’s non-starters certainly ranked as a formidable unit in 2006-07, as the Gamecock bench outscored that of the opposition by an overwhelming 1086-436 margin. The Gamecock bench outscored that of the opposition in every game but four this season, with the exceptions being at Penn State, at NC State, at home against Samford and at Tennessee.
Season Trends
:: South Carolina was 14-1 when leading at the half.
:: Carolina was 10-1 when its starting five outscored that of the opposition.
:: The Gamecocks were 15-3 when shooting 40 percent or better from the field.
:: Carolina was 17-2 when shooting at a higher percentage from the field than the opposition.
:: Carolina was 13-0 when making more free throws than the opposition.
:: The Gamecocks were 13-3 when dishing out 16 or more assists as a team.
:: South Carolina was 15-1 when scoring 70 or more points.
Double-Doubles For Everyone
A total of six different South Carolina players posted a double-double in 2006-07, with senior Iva Sliskovic turning in a rare triple-double against High Point. Here’s a look at Carolina’s double-doubles this year:
Kellindra Zackery (28 pts, 11 reb) vs. North Carolina A&T
Demetress Adams (17 pts, 11 reb) vs. Clemson
Iva Sliskovic (18 pts, 15 reb, 10 asst.) vs. High Point
Lauren Simms (14 pts, 10 asst) vs. South Carolina State
Iva Sliskovic (12 pts, 11 reb) vs. Samford
Ilona Burgrova (10 pts, 12 reb) at UNC Wilmington
Melanie Johnson (14 pts, 10 reb) at UNC Wilmington
Melanie Johnson (22 pts, 12 reb) vs. Florida
Melanie Johnson (17 pts, 12 reb) vs. Kentucky
Melanie Johnson (10 pts, 10 reb) vs. Auburn
Iva Sliskovic (13 pts, 10 reb) vs. Auburn
Pomp And Circumstance
Forward Larissa Kulcsar participated in graduation ceremonies on Dec. 18, graduating cum laude and earning a degree in international business. South Carolina has the No. 1-ranked international business major in the country. Kulcsar became the second Gamecock to walk across the stage, as Shannel Harris graduated in August with a degree in finance and a minor in psychology. She graduated cum laude as well.
The Difference Between Winning And Losing
Taking a look at South Carolina’s stats in its 18 victories against its stats in its 15 defeats, here were the most glaring differences:
:: In Carolina’s 18 wins, the Gamecocks averaged 78.7 points per game and allowed only 49.6 points per game, but in Carolina’s 15 losses, the Gamecocks averaged 56.5 points per game and allowed 71.3 points per contest.
:: In Carolina’s 18 wins, the Gamecocks shot .457 pct from the field and limited the opposition to .320 pct shooting from the field, but in Carolina’s 15 losses, the Gamecocks shot .353 pct. from the field and allowed the opposition to convert at a .437 pct. clip from the field.
:: In Carolina’s 18 wins, the Gamecocks held the opposition to .238 pct. shooting from three-point range, but in Carolina’s 15 losses, the opposition drained .386 pct. from three-point land.
:: In Carolina’s 18 wins, the Gamecocks grabbed 15.9 more rebounds per game than the opposition, but the margin plummetted to -0.4 in Carolina’s 15 losses.
:: In Carolina’s 18 wins, the Gamecocks distributed the ball well, dishing out 18.3 assists per game, but in Carolina’s 15 losses, the Gamecocks averaged only 11.8 assists per game.
:: In Carolina’s 18 wins, the Gamecocks held a +6.2 turnover margin. That number sunk to -1.5 in Carolina’s 15 losses.
Pick Your Poison
Depth and balance were two of South Carolina’s strengths in 2006-07. The Gamecocks did not have any single dominant player that opposing defenses could key on, rather, they had any number of players capable of doing damage. Among the illustrations of the Gamecocks’ depth and balance was the fact that 11 of Carolina’s 13 active players scored in double figures in a game and nine different players led the team in scoring in game.
Sliskovic Goes For A Triple-Double
South Carolina senior forward Iva Sliskovic accomplished a rare feat in college basketball when she posted a triple-double against High Point on Dec. 20. Sliskovic scored 18 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 10 assists against the Panthers to register the Gamecocks’ first triple-double since Cristina Ciocan went for 22 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists against Clemson in 2003.
Sliskovic Earns All-Tournament Recognition
Senior Iva Sliskovic earned all-tournament accolades at the South Carolina Thanksgiving Classic after averaging 11.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in contests against Mercer and Louisiana-Lafayette. Sliskovic scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds against the Ragin’ Cajuns in the championship game.
Sliskovic Came So Close To 1,000-Point Mark
Senior Iva Sliskovic nearly became the 27th member of South Carolina’s 1,000-point club, but fell just 24 points shy with 976 career points.
Sliskovic Just Missed The Exceptionally Rare
Though she did not claim a spot in the 1,000-point club, Iva Sliskovic will still go down as one of the most statistically-balanced players in the history of South Carolina women’s basketball. Sliskovic fell just 24 points shy of becoming the first player in program history to score 1,000 points, grab 650 rebounds, dish out 175 assists and block 110 shots. Had Sliskovic reached the 1,000-point mark in 2006-07, she would have joined a short list of players in SEC history with 1,000 points, 650 rebounds, 175 assists and 110 blocks, as Chamique Holdsclaw (3,025 points, 1,295 rebounds, 386 assists and 115 blocks at Tennessee from 1996-99), Wendy Scholtens (2,602 points, 1,272 rebounds, 305 assists and 217 blocks at Vanderbilt from 1988-91), Julie Gross (2,488 points, 1,466 rebounds, 220 assists and 178 blocks at LSU from 1976-80), Tan White (2,421 points, 844 rebounds, 457 assists and 118 blocks at Mississippi State from 2001-05) and Tamika Catchings (2,113 points, 1,004 rebounds, 338 assists and 140 blocks at Tennessee from 1997-2001) are the only players to be more statistically balanced and proficient than Sliskovic.
Johnson Was A Preseason All-SEC Pick
Melanie Johnson earned preseason second team all-Southeastern Conference honors. She was the only Gamecock to earn either preseason or postseason all-SEC recognition.
Guard Injured Knee, Missed The Entire Season
South Carolina women’s basketball player Lauren “Cocoa” Falohun sat out the season after sustaining an injury to her left knee during practice on October 13. A 5-foot-8 freshman point guard from Atlanta’s Pace Academy, Falohun was expected to log significant minutes during her first year at the collegiate level. A first-team all-state selection as a senior in high school, Falohun had caught the eye of Gamecock Head Coach Susan Walvius as a player who could pressure opposing point guards with strong and physical play. “It’s tough to have this happen, but my role now is to support my teammates and work hard in my rehab to get back next year and continue everything that the team is doing this year,” Falohun said after sustaining her injury. “I’m going to work hard and hopefully come back stronger than ever.” “We are certainly disappointed about the injury. We thought Cocoa was going to make a considerable impact, especially defensively in her first year,” Walvius said. “We feel bad for her. She worked hard all summer to be in position to help this team immediately and we believe she would have done that. We will miss her presence on the floor this year.”
Adams Gains USA Basketball Experience
Sophomore forward Demetress Adams earned an invitation from USA Basketball to compete for a spot on the Under-20 National Team during the summer of 2006. She did not make the team, but the invitation was a significant honor nonetheless. “Going out there and competing for a spot with USA Basketball was the best basketball experience I have ever had,” Adams said. “It challenged me as a player and showed me where I am and where I can be. I was really tested and I am going to continue to work and I hope they call me again.”
Walvius Earned Contract Extension
South Carolina Head Coach Susan Walvius earned a contract extension prior to the start of the 2006-07 season. Her new deal extends through the end of the 2008-09 season. With Walvius at the helm, the Gamecocks have made a trip to the 2002 Elite Eight, finished in the top-20 nationally in 2002 and 2003, made four trips to the post-season in the last six years, led the SEC with eight players on the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll in 2006 and attracted two top-15 recruiting classes (10th in 2003 and 13th in 2005). She successfully recruited and coached three players who went on to play in the WNBA after their careers at South Carolina and has molded the Gamecocks into one of the most powerful defensive teams in the SEC the last two years. “It’s a program that has a lot of momentum going forward,” USC Athletics Director Eric Hyman said. “I think a lot of people are excited about this year’s season. She’s got people from the state of South Carolina. She’s had good recruiting this year, so everything’s looking positive.”
