The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 19, 1996, Page 7, Image 7

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Friday, January 19, 1996 Tide has ti During the first half of Wednesday's basketball game between South Carolina and Vanderbilt, most of the 8,411 fans on hand probably would have rather been at home doing laundiy. Or washing dishes. Or, God forbid, watching "90210." If anyone attending the game feared a second half similar to last Saturday's pitiful showing at Florida, they were nnnfrnn finer fVipir frpnieinfinn far?o-fn face. In the first half, Vanderbilt took a 39-30 lead, and the Gamecocks went 1 for 10 behind the three-point arc. They were 14 of 33 otherwise and had a 42.4 shooting percentage. Sloppy play and a tenacious halfcourt press by the Commodores caused USC to commit 11 turnovers in the first half alone. "90210", anyone? Boy, what a difference a half makes. In the second half, we saw the Gamecocks that were advertised before the season. Junior Larry Davis provided a spark for the team, quickly scored seven points to bring the Gamecocks to within two points with 15:05 left in regulation. Freshman Leonard "Bud" Johnson stood tall underneath, showing authority on the boards and following missed shots to score. Sophomore Melvin Watson shook the excruciating pain of a recent knee operation to lead the team. An/1 mimh-hprfllrlpH frPshmflTl R.T McKie slashed to the basket with Watsonlike quickness. Ma Coo N Nate Wilbourne 6-11 255 i a M I c I / Bud Johnson / 6-10 230 S| I The Editor position i minimum GPR of 2.501 in the major college (wh Quarterly for at least or their submitted two letters Board c Applicatioi SB urned for G: And, most of all, senior Malik Russell, who played perhaps f**? his best game yet, blocked a last-second shot in overtime to LARRY send the now- WILLIAMS raucous crowd into a frenzy. Yes, I said crowd. At a USC basketball game. They might be new to this basketball thing, but they aren't ignorant of what is on the horizon. The Coliseum isn't packed eveiy night yet, but a nightly full house isn't out of the question within the next two years. Success breeds interest, and fans can smell success near. Granted, Vanderbilt isn't Kentucky, or even Alabama. Their team wasn't as athletic or as talented as USC's. The point to be made, though, is Carolina battled through adversity, found themselves 12 points down and dug deep to pull out the win. Last year, with the undermanned Gamecocks down nine points to an SEC foe. vou miVht. as well have rhalked the Loss column. This year, anything is possible. Looking back to Carolina's win over Georgia two weeks ago, the same scenario occurs. Down by six at the half, the Gamecocks came back like a whirlwind to beat the 14th ranked team in the I ~F5 I I FT lik Russell Anthony Br ?-7 220 I 6-5 22! x G io G3i elvin Watson i Brian Willi 6-2 195 6-1 1? * $ V I y \ j G3 I G15 U McKie Marvin 0r< 8-2 185 j 6-0 18 G3 QUARTERLY irina Editi g Garnet & Black Quarterly student magazine equires that applicants be junior or sen: overall or minimum GPR required to re ichever is greater), and must have wort le year (or equivalent experience). Appl samples of work responses on their app ?of reference, and a formal interview bi >f Student Publications and Communict Vgy Student Media is can be picked up in Russell House R( amecocks country. This time last season, if the Gamecocks wanted to be competitive in SEC games, they had to play 40 minutes of solid, consistent basketball. Carolina can't afford to make the same mistakes they made against Vanderbilt when playing the Kentuckys or the Alabamas of the SEC. But, taken the right way, that is the beauty of it. Fm sure Fogler and company would have loved to "win ugly" on occasion last season. inis, oi course, is a tribute to tne recruiting efforts of Fogler and to the maturity of this young team. Before the season, many fans had dreams of an NCAA Tournament appearance dancing in their heads - a very remote possibility but not out of the question. A few fans might be disappointed with a 94 start, but sources here say this squad is ahead of schedule. If you combine the first half of the Florida game and the second half of the Vanderbilt game, you have a heck of a basketball team in the Gamecocks. In a huge game Saturday at home against Alabama, they'll have the opportunity to excel against the leader of the western division of the SEC. Will they do it? God only knows, but the beautiful thing for players, coaches and fans is that, instead of wondering whether they'll be in a game, they'll wonder whether they'll WIN the game. Yes, what a difference a year can make. """""""" 4 own 5 H C 54 Thalamus McGhee / 6-9 290 /y i 1 ams 10 | 1 \ F 50 \ Roy Rogers ?-K 6-10 230 X inge 5 | . or ior standing, have a main in good standing ;ed for Garnet & Black ications are judged on )lication form, efore the itions. oom 331- <MOmc SM. 1/18/96 Bring on the Bulldt B I ; ^ ^ - V L_ 1 Taneyhill say ASSOCIATED PRESS South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill, who came to college with long hair and a big ego, wants to look professional in Saturday's Senior Bowl. Now soft-spoken and neatly trimmed, Taneyhill says his big passing numbers and his milder image show he's ready for the NFL. "I think it's basically through production that I've changed my image and shown that my talent is more than some antics or celebrations," said Taneyhill, who won little acclaim despite completing 67 percent of his passes for 3,094 yards and 29 touchdowns in 1995. "Whether I've changed opinions or not, there's nothing I can do about that." Kyle Wachholtz, Southern Cal's quarterback, knows Taneyhill's problem. Wachholtz platooned this season at quarterback with Brad Otton, combining for nearly 3,000 yards and leading USC tn a Rnco Rnurl vipt/vnj Rut WarV?V?nlt,7 VU U XWUV J_?UTT 1 TlVWIJi i^UV T > UVlUlUiUli knows that playing half the time hurt his NFL prospects. WUSCi to fill the Spring And hey, don't v\ Your student rac air, and we need If you want to h( interested in FAME OVER 7 attend the WUS Friday, Januai in Russell Hoi more Inform igs Wf ^Kl/i^bbbi IHr ^1 *< > > ?r * --J :<4? 7 jfl s. \ / .jafl s he is ready "Basically, I'm not well known," ii Wachholtz said. "Tve only had one really a quality year, and I split time all year a with another quarterback." d Wachholtz and Tarieyhill both face the unenviable task of convincing scouts ti to look past first impressions, despite h opinions that this will be a weak draft h for quarterbacks. a *1 think in the NFL, mostly it's drop back, pro-style offenses," Wachholtz said, v "Me and Steve have run those in college, so I think we have the edge in that \ department." a Then, it was Taneyhill's turn. a "Both of us can stand up here and name all the coverages we've seen," he I said. 1 Interestingly, Taneyhill and Wachholtz I give the same answer to a question that is sure to linger even after the draft: t Should Nebraska's Tommie Frazier play quarterback or running back.' a After the year Frazier had, including p Ha77ling performances in the Fiesta Bowl c and East-West Shrine game, some say there's something cynical ? or worse ? f fm NEED schedule. /orry, experience is m iio station is coming I .jxjy* / your help! jlp rebuild WUSCanc HE AIRWAVES, C recruitment meetir ry 19 @ 5:30 p.m. use Room 315 ftton, call Student Media @ 777-6576 or 7 7 ~ s I I I' ' Senior Ail-American Kerry Fraas and the Gamecock swim teams will face Georgia today at the Carolina Natatorium in a 1 p.m. meet. fnr the NFT. d even asking the question. Taneyhill md Wachholtz, who are competing igainst Frazier for draft spots and dollars, lon't even blink. "I don't think he's seen the defenses a go in as a quarterback," said Taneyhill, tolding nothing back. "And I don't think Le's thrown the ball enough to go in as . quarterback." Wachholtz drew the same conclusion vith kinder words. "What I see with Tommj^ Frazier," Vachholtz added, "is a good athlete with i strong arm. But I think that they do i lot of rollout stuff with him." Danny Kanell of Florida State and lobby Hoying of Ohio State will join ?aneyhill and Wachholtz in the Senior lowl. A lot can haoDen between now and he draft. "I think once one goes, a lot of teams ire going to get panicky," Taneyhill >redicted. "It could happen real quick, >r it could happen late." "Hopefully," he added, "itH be on the irst day of the draft." IS DJc WF Dt required. :x:x:>x:x:xx. "':'x*x*x-. ' ::^X::;:;:j:;v v <WM>. Sxjftx x&x:*.. back on the \ :;|x; :i|; S % H HI ivjx #??| I are i I / f n jg / # ?' jf 4f . | f. mm: mm mm WM+: M+' ig ; . . . 7' : *?:$<* v...:| *7-3688