University of South Carolina Libraries
Women have cc R" M>PKq"O Gamacock Staff Writer If you started watching women's basketball at USC last year, now is not the time to stop. With a , Women's National Invitational Tournament championship behind them, six returning players, four of wmcn were siariers ana a preseason ranking of 16th by the Associated Press, the Lady Gamecocks have nowhere to go but up. Starting the 1979-80 season with inese siausucs, women's basketball has the potential to produce not only another 20-win season, but also a shot at the national championship. A main force behind the Lady Gamecock's success is coach Pam Parsons. Going into her third year as coach here, Parsons possesses me recruiting ana coacning talents necessary to build a winning ball club. IN IIER PREVIOUS seasons at USC, the former Old Dominion University coach has seen her teams reach records of 24-10 and 27-10; something unheard of in women s basketball history at Carolina. This year Parsons will be starting five players who saw considerable action last season. Combining quickness and play making at the guard position for the Lady Gamecocks will be Rita Johnson and Cheryl Autry. Johnson, who is known for her speed and ability to capatilize on the fast break will have a major role in Carolina's offense. At forward again this year will Hammered coli EARRING SAI 100'S TO CHOOSE FRO All Va OFI ff ' Part or full time. p8I| Flexible hours and da jjfB Should be able to wo MB or Saturday. Sll|? Hourly wage plus ||g|m commissions and tips psMMl Apply in person after gglpg^L at 1124 Devine Stree' Phone: 256-8151 delivery person; ime a long way be Sheila Foster and Jean Walling. Foster's aggressive game and Walling's tremendous sky hook will work well inside for the Lady _ Gamecocks. Finally, at center will be Cynthia Jacobs. Although Carolina lost star center Katrina Anderson to graduation, Jacobs will not be trying to fill her shoes. And, she won't have to. Instead of running the same offense that Anderson fit so well in, I the Lady Gamecocks will be playing a different type of game. They'll find out just how well it will work when they get into the bulk of their schedule. THIS YEAR the Lady Gamecocks face a schedule like they've never seen before; another credit to Parsons. Instead of spending most of their time playing small schools like Columbia College, Claflin, and Wheeling(who they beat by over 100 points last year), Carolina will be up against teams of much stronger caliber. Such teams as Old Dominion. I. who were fed their only lost last 5 season by USC; Cheyney State, ^ Tennessee, North Carolina, and t N.C. State will play the Lady s Gamecocks at home and on the i road. J Contrary to past seasons, their t schedule never really provides a j break. From their opening game at J Georgia Southern, to the regional } playoffs at home, they will face one t strong team after another, making j it even more difficult to achieve at 12 least twenty wins. 11 1* i ] I UNBEATABLE I I 14 K. GOLD I cm m I il : SHU I D j AT ! .E | JEWELRY j M B WAREHOUSE ' F| 2904 PIATT SPtMG$ RO j , , w?ftcoia 9tH6 Mon-Sat j ' I III 'y?. rk Friday 4:00pm \jJHBk | . f 5 Not only has the schedule im i r it. _ * t pruveu ior me i^aay uamecocKs | f.~ but so have the playing conditions ' as a whole. ,' This year all of the women's Olll home games wil be plyed in the WPB Carolina Coliseum, mostly before or after men's games to encourage For more crowd support. The idea is that if you can see how exciting a women's game is, you'll want to come back. This is a very important factor, and one the Lady Gamecocks feel they can j capitalize on. I ATTEMPTING TO reach evon more prospective fans, four of the women's games will be televised locally. Only three years ago, people would have laughed at the j idea of putting women's basketball on T.V. Now, however, it's a , reality. | (~rin< If that is not enough, another j v-dpnew addition has been made to (JSC women's basketball. This . year Carolina will provide cheerleaders to encourage more ( . fan support. This is yet another | WUIC benefit which is very rare in . women's basketball. ' n While most of the growing is thanks to Parson's, it is also in reaction to having a nationally , ranked team. As they have steadily grown better and better, ine L,aay uamccocKs have received more recognition and more benefits. Still they must be CreQI careful not to grow too fast and take on more than they can handle. If they use the talent they possess to it's utmost ability, a national championship is not out of j reach. Breakfast wi Ask Questions! Tuesday, Decern i in Room 3# I I Sign up in the Ac1 ! | Limited i '< m, it Th I I | and c [ Ill sponsor ; l,?.? k?.? Pr I rLKSAl hh [ Y ) \ A \ i / ember the che and Cr til r\co rvi >i< 11 iwoc w i yvju vv We're doir Quiche aii >tone Cafeteria5:oo-7: he Lorraine C >1 .10 Beef Bour 9( Tied Spinach 7 5C Boh Aj till the -P Voice < ber 4, 1979 26 Russell Hen iivities Office, Spaces Availat e umce >f the esident G ( Wl I 1 1/ . V 73 WT I J Sportsw< ' who pre \A/p<;tp> 1st Block of M epes Special? ho missed it, ig it again! d? Ciepw ?Tuesday, Dec. 4 00 pm Quiche aux Oignons $1.10 guignon )c Crepes Fitzgerald j 50c ppeiiti resident j i Opinions! 5 \ 7:30 A.M. 5 * 5 ise i Room 209 j i )le ^ ive Him The % #* _ I _ j in or wyie lile YovlSave lands<#'y Vz off mir Antirtt stnrir viiiiii w>? sar for Gentlemen ifer Casual, Disco, *Eu [|!||imiHinnp rn, New York or ropean LooK^v lain Street-Downtown j