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Pwre 12 ? November 30. 1984 SPOrtS . > ... ^IIsrSI^wSH^I gHaSjlV' S&||v | V^^SmHp Jet ^'3Hfcl^^?f Basic fundamsntals USC's Margo Vernier bumps the ball during the Metro Conference Toi The Lady Gamecocks travel to North Carolina today to play Duke in the Lady Gamecocks t< By Joanne Korth USC's women's basketball team recorded its first win in the season opener at South Carolina State bv defeating the I adv Bulldogs 59-50. The Lady Gamecocks were visibly nervous for their first game, but came away with a win in Nancy Wilson's coaching debut at Carolina. Carolina forward Brantley Southers led all scoring in the game with 17 points. Southers was seven for 11 from the field and three for four from the free throw line. FORWARD MONICA Williams added 11 points for the Lady Gamecocks. As a tf*am thf I aHv flamppAplc cKirvt nnln 1"7*7 fmm . - ? ?. J a-MVIJ V^HillVVVVI\J tJIAWl Will J .U I I 11 V/111 U1W floor, but the Lady Bulldogs shot only .290. USC got off to an early 12-4 lead over the Lady Bulldogs which built to a 13 point margin at 23-10. S.C. State rallied to within two at halftime, 28-26, holding Carolina scoreless for almost four and a half minutes late in the first period. USC PLAYED well to open the second half and built steadily on a lead that peeked at 14, 58-44. The game was interrupted by spurts of sloppy play by both teams. Opening night jitters toyed with shooting percentages and made a few errant passes, but overall Wilson was pleased with the performance. Wilson said all that can be done in practice has been done ana only competition will present topics for further work. The first year head coach said consistant defense and execution on offense will be areas for improvement that showed up in Wednesday night's game. CAROLINA'S ZONE defense was most effective during the second half stretch when the Lady Gamecocks denied penetration and shut down S.C. State's 6-6 center Wanda Pittman. For most of the evening Carolina was able to contain Pittman with a majority of her 15 points coming from second shots off the rebound. On offense the Lady Gamecocks had to adjust to an S.C. State defense that made no move until USC started running its offense. "We're very patterned offensively" said Wilson, "and they were more or less just standing there until we started to work our offense." Carolina went to taking shots outside of its offensive patterns to set the Lady Bulldogs off balance. - AFTER having pre-season surgery on her left ?ir. m*nutes for USC. Wilson said she was uns o whether Southers would be able to play the entire "N USC vol . to make ^ ? By Joanne Korth - . " USC's women's volleyball tei , its first-ever appearance in avuiieyuan ciiampiuiixiip lourna row against ACC chamj University. The Lady Gamecocks adva tional Collegiate Athletic Asso season action automatically 1 Tulane, Florida State and Lou the Metro Conference Tournam Carolina two weeks ago. Carolina's record is 28-7. team is fired up and ready to pU the two week interval since Tournament. Carolina anH Dnkp havp mpt Hthis season, splitting the two coi go along with an even season re teams are tied for the number the seven teams competing in South region. Early in the season, Duke hai game win streak. The first meeting between tl Carolina's first look at a fast at which contributed to the loss. prepared for the second match Kenny sees the Blue Devils' c ,.(jJ if USC can "take them out of anc*not ^et t*iem ^usl1 l'lc u "At this time in your season Photo by Ray Bronbtfg play great no matter who yoi . .. . - .. said. "But as far as playing ag) jrnament Nov. 16-17 in Columbia. seeded school than Duke, we1 first round of the NCAA playoffs. where we are right now." ake season-opener \ game, because she had been practicing full strength for only a few weeks. Needing Souther's scoring ability, Wilson used her the whole game and said she looked like she was as well conditioned as players who had been at full strength longer. USC will stay on the road for two more games. The Lady i I^AST ^^bvi wiv * 7 ^sB i*^*^%'f|?l^--!' ^8L,?> nBBtalfi 'Yffcw ,*? ? ?1 ? -? i HEijtWjiiBBi ~T jifii'i r^.M{$H'fcS-^4?:!iT>Si# %*3 fjp'j' . v {tffe^ .< " ' "* . .i ?. " . " , - im mti?jV >' / 8jSBjjj^g| gggyp- ^^gg^wwi'^'?- ?e?? Charge of the Lady Gamecock brigade Marsi McAlister leads here team up the court during USC's intrasquad i day against S.C. State, 59-50. Ileyball team i playoff debut CAROLINA IS familiar with Duke's play im will make from the previous matches, and Kenny the NCAA doesn't expect any surprises. ment tomor- "We basically know the kind of offense 3ion Duke they run, strengths and weaknesses," she said. "It's just a matter of our being able to need to Na- capitalize on them." ciation post- Kenny, 011 the other hand, hopes to suroy defeating prise Duke with play the level of the team's isville to win performance in the Metro Tournament, ent played at A slight height advantage for Duke does not worry Kenny too much. The Blue Devils list one girl at 6-3, two at 6-2, and several others at 6-0, but "those big 6-2 people don't nny said her like to go to the floor," she said. ly again after the Metro BY MIXING up their attack, the Lady Gamecocks hope to frustrate Duke's tall twice before players. itests 1-1. To "When you get a big person frustrated in cord, the two the backcourt, she's not too dominating in four spot of the frontcourt," Kenny said. 1 the NCAA Kenny doesn't see a decisive advantage gonded USC its ing to either team, but feels every team is at nding a nine- an advantage because it has gotten to the , NCAA tournament le teams was "When you're playing in the national tack offense, tournament it's anybody's ball game," she said. CKS were SHE FEELS even playing at Duke is not a and defeated disadvantage because the stadium is not Duke's practice court. juick offense Of the 10 teams in the south region, Texas, me. She said Tennessee, Lamar and Eastern Kentucky their offense join Carolina and Duke in the NCAA tour) the setter so nament. UCLA, the nation's No. 2 team, ed." will compete in the south region as well, v in the first If the Lady Gamecocks win tomorrow, they will face the No. 2 Lady Bruins Dec. 6 at , you have to a regional site, either Texas or Tennessee, u play," she Sophomore Lori Rowe and senior Shellie ainst a higher Higgins were recently named to the 1984 l . - - ic ueucr on District 111 Academic All-America Volleyball Team. with 59-50 win Gamecocks travel to Indiana Friday and Kentucky Sunday. Wilson said the games will be tough but the team will be ready physically and mentally for their opponents. The Lady Gamecocks come home for their first home game Wednesday, Dec. 5 for a double header with the men's team against Clemson. i HHHHhHH mmM | ^^HHpv fl MBM ??< ,..'mw- JB^.. ,^NI^' * &!*? ^?j?h ;">' -' V? -"JT?T"JPfcf ,i*""mii",T ffijgg^j^gagg^^SSSSSS^1^" .iuhmww n i iffy*'*'''''' ''| Photo by Jos?ph Ganwtt game Nov. 7. The Lady Gamecocks won their opening game Wednesi