Feb. 6, 2008

Game Notes

Last Time Out
Junior Demetress Adams broke a 33-year-old school record with 26 rebounds to go with her game-high 18 points, leading South Carolina to a 59-50 win over Arkansas Sunday afternoon at the Colonial Center. The Gamecocks picked up their first SEC win by dominating on the boards and playing aggressive defense. The Lady Razorbacks matched Adams’ total with 26 rebounds, while the Gamecocks grabbed 56 in the game, including 19 on the offensive end.

Series Notes
Vanderbilt leads the series 18-5 and has won the last six meetings. The Gamecocks’ last win over the Commodores was a 66-57 decision on Jan. 16, 2003, in Nashville. South Carolina is 1-10 against Vandy on its home floor.

Injury Report
Freshman Courtney Newton underwent season-ending knee surgery on Fri., Jan. 11. She originally suffered the injury on Nov. 23 against Illinois and had been rehabbing in an effort to return to the court this season. It was eventually decided that surgery was the best decision for her long term.

Suddenly Susan
Head coach Susan Walvius is in her 11th season as the Gamecocks’ mentor with a 161-154 record. She has led South Carolina to two NCAA Tournaments and two WNITs, including an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2001-02. Her players have also excelled in the classroom. In 2006-07, 10 Gamecocks appeared on the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll. In the last four years, South Carolina has placed more student-athletes on that list than any other school. Walvius has an 18-year career mark of 259-255.

A South Carolina Win Would …

• Be the Gamecocks’ first over Vanderbilt in seven tries.
• Improve Susan Walvius’ SEC regular-season record to 49-99.

Glass Ceiling?
Junior Demetress Adams grabbed a school record 26 rebounds against Arkansas on Feb. 3, breaking Denise Nanney’s 33-year-old record of 24. The first Gamecock since 1993 to bring down 20 or more rebounds in a game, Adams tied Mississippi State’s Sophie Ratliff’s 26 against Shorter in 1988 as the most by an SEC player since the league began officially sponsoring women’s basketball in 1982-83. Of her 26 boards, a school-record 17 came on the defensive end. Among her record-breaking 26 rebounds was the 500th of her career.

Triple Threat
After a 2006-07 season that ended with no Gamecocks averaging double-figure points, three players are currently at the mark this season. Freshman Jordan Jones leads the way with 12.3 ppg, while junior forward Demetress Adams is second at 11.7 ppg. Junior guard Brionna Dickerson rounds out the group at 10.7 ppg. Seniors Ilona Burgrova and Lakesha Tolliver are just outside the mark with 9.8 and 9.1 ppg, respectively.

A Leader in the Board Room
Junior Demetress Adams catapulted into second place in the SEC with 9.2 rebounds per game after her record-setting performance against Arkansas. She has spent the entire season among the league’s top 10 and now ranks 42nd in the nation in the category. Adams has posted double-digit rebounds in nine games this season, including the last two outings.

Stop! Thief!
Junior Demetress Adams is third in the SEC and 49th in the nation with 2.64 steals per game. Hovering around the league’s elite in the category, she has picked an opponent’s pocket four or more times in six games this season, including a career-high six steals at Clemson on Dec. 22. Nationally, Adams trails Delaware’s Kyle DeHaven’s NCAA-best 4.7 swipes per game, while Ashley Houts of Georgia leads the SEC at 3.14. With 58 steals this season, Adams has already surpassed her previous career-best of 52, which she collected last season. She has a long way to go to get to Katrina Anderson’s school-record 126 in 1978-79.

It’s a Block Party!
Through games of Feb. 3, South Carolina was 14th in the nation with 5.41 blocked shots per game, a number that is second in the SEC to Tennessee’s 6.33 per game. Both teams trail North Carolina’s NCAA-best 7.4 blocks per game.

From Way Downtown – Bang!
Freshman Jordan Jones is 19th in the nation with an SEC-leading 2.68 3-pointers per game. She is third in the SEC with 38.1 percent accuracy from behind the arc. Robert Morris’ Sade Logan leads the nation with 4.0 3-point field goals per game, while Vanderbilt’s Christina Wirth leads the SEC shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range. Karen Middleton holds the South Carolina record for 3-point field goal percentage by a freshman after hitting 43.4 percent (75-of-163) in 1987-88. Middleton holds the four best 3-point percentages in school history, including the record 46.9 percent (76-of-162), which she set as a junior in 1989-90.

Prime Time Players
South Carolina has played four teams ranked in the top 10 in the nation. While the Gamecocks lost all four contests, senior Ilona Burgrova and junior Demetress Adams showed they can match up with the best. The duo accounted for 87 of the team’s 187 points (46.5 percent) against the top-10 foes with each including a double-double among her accomplishments. Burgrova, who scored 15 or more points in two contests, has scored 11.5 points per game on 58.6 percent shooting against the top-10 foes. Adams has averaged 10.3 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Just Czeching
Since finding her offensive rhythm with a career-high-tying 17 points against Charleston Southern, senior Ilona Burgrova reached double-figure points in the next five outings. After a two-game hiatus from double figures, during which she scored nine points against UNC Asheville and seven against Savannah State, the center from the Czech Republic bounced back in conference play with a team-high 13 points at Alabama. Burgrova recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against No. 2 Tennessee. In all, she has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 16 games, including three games against teams ranked in the top 10.

Round, Round, Get Around
Junior Demetress Adams has been a multi-dimensional player for the Gamecocks and has been the team leader in either points, rebounds or assists in at least two games this season. The many facets of her game have been on full display in several recent outings. In South Carolina’s 64-43 victory at archrival Clemson on Dec. 22, she recorded her fifth double-double of the season while also matching her career high with five blocked shots and swiping a career-high six steals. Two games later, against UNC Asheville on Jan. 3, the forward narrowly missed a double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds and eight points to go along with five assists and five blocks. Adams matched that rebound total on Jan. 6 against Savannah State while also completing a her sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and adding five steals and three blocks. She enjoyed her best all-around SEC game of the season against No. 2 Tennessee, recording 10 points, seven rebounds and five steals. Adams went on to score 15 points and grab 11 rebounds while handing out two assists, blocking two shots and swiping two steals at No. 8 LSU.

Definitive Demetress
Junior Demetress Adams has recorded 12 career double-doubles, including seven this season, and the Gamecocks are 11-1 in those games, taking their first loss at No. 8 LSU on Jan. 31. South Carolina is undefeated in Adams’ three career games with five or more blocked shots, including two this season. In her five career games with five or more assists, including four this season, the Gamecocks are 4-1, suffering its first loss under those conditions on Jan. 27 against Florida.

Balancing Act
After a 2006-07 campaign that saw the Gamecock frontcourt carrying the load, South Carolina’s offense this season has been more of a balance between inside and outside play. The inside quartet of Demetress Adams (258 pts), Ilona Burgrova (215 pts), Jewel May (74 pts) and Lakesha Tolliver (146 pts) has provided 31.5 of the teams 66.0 points per game (47.7%). Last season, the frontcourt accounted for 39.5 of the team’s 68.6 ppg (57.8%).

Bounce Back
Annually playing a difficult non-conference schedule in addition to its SEC slate, South Carolina has suffered a handful of decisive setbacks. The Gamecocks tend to recover quickly, however, and have done so this season. In the last four seasons, the Gamecocks are 8-4 in games after a loss of 20 or more points, and one of those losses was last season’s three-point defeat against No. 7 LSU following a 36-point loss at No. 3 Tennessee. The total of eight wins includes four games this season – a 37-67 loss at No. 9 LSU came just before a 59-50 win over Arkansas, a 63-95 setback at No. 9 Oklahoma preceded an 80-52 win over UNC Asheville, a 97-39 loss at No. 2 UConn was followed by an 88-41 victory over Alabama A&M two days later, and a 91-58 loss to Illinois yielded an 82-66 win over Florida International.

The Adams Family
Junior Demetress Adams (Bishopville, S.C./Lee Central) leads the Gamecocks and ranks second in the SEC with 9.2rebounds per game … is second on the team at 11.7 ppg … has been the team’s leading scorer five times and the leading rebounder in 15 games … has reached double figures in points in 18 games and recorded eight double-doubles … broke a 33-year-old school record with 26 rebounds, including a school-record 17 on the defensive end against Arkansas, which also tied her for the most by an SEC player since the league began sponsoring women’s basketball in 1982-83 … went on to record a double-double against the Lady Razorbacks, adding a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting … was the lone Gamecock to shine at No. 8 LSU with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 11 rebounds … tied for team-high honors with six rebounds and led the club with five assists against Florida … narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds against Kentucky … was 4-of-5 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line for 13 points at Mississippi, while tying for team-high rebound honors with seven … netted 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go with seven rebounds and five steals … was limited by foul trouble to just 22 minutes at Alabama but reached double figures with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and five rebounds.

Know Your ABCs
Freshman Ashlie Billingslea (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) has played in the last five games after missing the season’s first 17 games due to surgery on her left knee in mid-September … snagged a career-high four rebounds to go with a pair of assists in just 11 minutes against Arkansas … handed out four assists and swiped three steals against Kentucky … made her season debut at Mississippi.

That’s Czech Mate
Senior Ilona Burgrova (Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) is second on the team in rebounding with 6.8 boards per game and is adding 9.8 points per contest … has scored double-digit points in 11 of the last 16 games … has led the team in rebounding seven times this season and has recorded six games of double-digit boards … added nine points and seven rebounds to the win over Arkansas … tied for team-high point and rebound honors with 12 points and six rebounds against Florida … netted 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds against Kentucky, despite being limited by foul trouble … tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds while shooting 4-of-5 from the field at Mississippi … snagged a career-high 13 rebounds and netted a team-high 16 points against No. 2 Tennessee for her first double-double of the season … scored a team-high 13 points and blocked four shots at Alabama.

What Do You Serve With Brie?
Junior Brionna Dickerson (Columbia, S.C./Heathwood Hall) is third on the team with 10.7 ppg … netted 15 points and grabbed six rebounds against Arkansas … added six points, including the 400th of her career, at No. 8 LSU … matched Ilona Burgrova’s 12 points and six rebounds against Florida to tie for team-high honors in both categories … scored nine points and handed out three assists against Kentucky … added eight points and four rebounds at Mississippi.

My Friends Call Me Coco
Redshirt freshman Lauren Falohun (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) has come off the bench in 11 games … saw a career-high 13 minutes against Savannah State, scoring her first career point on a free throw … played a season-high nine minutes against Illinois … grabbed a pair of rebounds in her college debut against Saint Francis (Pa.).

Pastor Jones
Senior Ebony Jones (Aiken, S.C./Aiken) has played in 19 games, including five starts … is scoring 4.5 ppg and is the team’s second-best 3-point shooter at 33.3 percent … keyed the second-half comeback against Florida with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and a career-high five rebounds … hit a pair of 3-pointers en route to eight points at Alabama.

J.J. is Dy-no-mite
Freshman Jordan Jones (Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hill) leads the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg and is shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range to rank third in the SEC … has scored double-figure points in 15 games and has led the team in scoring seven times … netted 10 points and picked up three steals against Arkansas … matched her season high with four assists playing the full 40 minutes at No. 8 LSU … netted 11 points against Florida, hitting three 3-pointers … sparked a comeback against Kentucky with 16 points on 3-of-6 from 3-point range … led the team with 18 points and handed out three assists at Mississippi … played 38 minutes against No. 2 Tennessee, adding eight points and three rebounds … did not start at Alabama after an injury in the previous game limited her practice time, but poured in three 3-pointers during a second-half comeback attempt to finish with nine points.

The Kennedy Legacy
Freshman Samone Kennedy (Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay) has played in 21 games, including five starts … leads the team with 77 assists and has scored 3.7 ppg … ranks among the SEC’s top 10 in assists per game (3.67) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38) … drew her second-consecutive start at Mississippi and dished out a team-high six assists to just two turnovers … handed out five assists and swiped a pair of steals to go with six points against No. 2 Tennessee … dished out five assists and scored eight points at Alabama.

Jewel of the Nile
Freshman Jewel May (Conyers, Ga./Heritage) has come off the bench in 18 games, averaging 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds … sank both her field goal attempts in just five minutes at No. 8 LSU … grabbed a career-high six rebounds to tie for team-high honors against Florida … netted 10 points, including six straight during a second-half rally, against Kentucky … picked up a career-high five rebounds at Mississippi and scored seven points … added three points and three rebounds against No. 2 Tennessee … made her SEC debut at Alabama.

And All That Jas
Freshman Jasmine Payne (Bay Springs, Miss./Stringer) has played in 16 games, including three starts, and averages 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds … made her third-straight start at No. 8 LSU, grabbing three rebounds … added four points and a pair of offensive rebounds as a starter against Florida … drew her first career start against Kentucky and snagged a season-best six rebounds.

Tolliver Twist
Senior Lakesha Tolliver (Columbia, S.C./Dreher) is third on the team in rebounding at 5.6 rpg and is scoring 9.1 ppg … became the school record holder for career blocked shots against Charleston Southern … has reached double-figure points in seven games … grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots against Arkansas … returned to the lineup at No. 8 LSU after missing the previous six games due to exertional headaches, adding six points and a pair of rebounds in 16 minutes.