The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 09, 1996, Page 7, Image 7
)
Wednesday, October 9,1996
Basketball
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The countdown continues.
Only six more days until coach Eddie
Fogler and his basketball troops hit the
hardwood for their first official practice
of the 1996-97 season.
This season will be full of high
expectations for the Gamecocks. Last
season, Carolina posted a record of 1912.
The Gamecocks went to the third
round of the National Invitation
Tournament before losing a heart-breaker
to Alabama.
Coach Fogler returns every player
except Malik Russell. That includes
1995 SEC Freshman of the Year BJ
McKie, 1994 SEC All-Freshman team
member Melvin Watson, seniors Larry
Davis and Nate Wilbourne, sophomore
Bud Johnson and many others.
Along with this fine crop of returnees,
Fogler brought in two big-time recruits:
Big-men Antonio Grant and Herbert
Lee Davis look to make an immediate
1 impact on the SEC. Red-shirt freshman
Hagen Rouse, who is known for his longrange
touch, is eligible this year after
sitting out last year.
The Gamecocks are ranked second
in the SEC East behind national
champion Kentucky in just about every
preseason poll. Many feel that the
Gamecock are the only team who can
iHTTrra rmEW
JOSH PENROP Senior Writer
As the leaves start falling and the
temperature starts to drop this fall,
there probably are not many more
campuses in the southeast that will
be as picturesque as the University of
Kentucky.
There will be plenty of faculty, staff)
and students that will get a chance to
reflect on the breathtaking sights of
Lexington.
All but Kentucky's Bill Curry and
his coaching staff.
Head football coach Curry will be
too busy trying to muster up some wins
for his current 1-4 team and it does
not look good with six games in the
season left to play.
The Wildcats are coming off of a
35-7 drubbing by Alabama and have
also lost to Louisville, Cincinnati and
Florida.
These three opponents collectively
have scored a total erf" 137 points against
a dilapidated Kentucky defense.
As if Curry did not have enough
to worry about, this past week, Sports
Illustrated, ran an article, "Currying
A Flavor," that shed some of Si's
negative light on Coach Curry's stay
at Kentucky to the entire nation.
"I think we've had some good breaks
in games against South Carolina.
In the case of these two teams, I
think we've been very evenly matched
in some cases. We've got lucky here
and there.
We had a phenomenal performance
by Moe Williams last year. [It was not
really planned], it just happened that
day and South Carolina just happened
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team hope
give the Wildcats a run this year.
That includes ESPN. The game
against UK is going to be broadcast
nation-wide in prime-time. That means
the one and only Dick Vitale and his
cohorts will invade the Frank McGuire
Arena on Feb. 4. The Tuesday night
game will tip-off at 9:30 pan. Mark your
calendars now, because the game will
be a sell-out.
With all of the preseason hype
surrounding the Gamecock basketball
team, a trip to the NCAA tournament
will be the only thing that will satisfy
the team and its fans.
All the pieces are in place for a
successful season and the fans of USC
basketball have their hopes up for what
promises to be another exciting season
of Carolina hoops.
Speaking of getting my hopes up,
Saturday's near upset of Auburn sent
my spirits a flyin'. Even if we did lose
the game, the effort put forth by the
Gamecocks impressed me.
They outplayed the 20th-ranked
Tigers on the road and nearly came out
of Jordan-Hare Stadium with a muchneeded
victory. The problem, though,
is that they didn't come away with a
win.
The current three-game losing streak
has Carolina sitting with a 2-3 record
and 1-2 in the SEC.
to be the team," Curry said, referring
to the 299 yard career-best rushing
performance by senior Wildcat running
back Moe Williams that led to a
Kentucky 35-30 win at Williams-Brice.
Kentucky, despite only having had
three offensive touchdowns in five
games, has had a week-by-week
quarterback controversy since the
beginning of the season.
Junior Billy Jack Haskins held the
reigns as last year's signal caller, but
heralded freshman Tim Couch has
come in this season and put a little
pressure on Haskins for the position.
"I think the hype that surrounds
a freshman quarterback at this day
and time makes things very difficult
for [Couch] and for our program.
[Couch] has done some good things,
but he has also had to suffer with this
team," Curry said.
"We know that South Carolina is
really not a 2-3 football team. We
watched the film and they played
Auburn right off their feet. You just
don't go to Auburn and play like that.
I don't care who you are. I was very
impressed with them. This is by far,
Brad [Scott's] best team.
This is the best South Carolina
team tnat we ve raced, uurry said.
Calling this game pivotal for both
teams would be an understatement.
If the Gamecocks come away with
a win, this game may just be a
temporary stop for teams that are just
passing each other. One on the way
up. The other on the way down.
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But mark my word, USC will reel
off three victories in a row starting this
week with Kentucky and continuing
with Arkansas and Vanderbilt. They
won't inst win fhpsp tramps tViPV will
win them in impressive form.
For those of you who have given up
on the team and are embarrassed to be
a Gamecock follower, I don't want to see
you donning the garnet and black
sweatshirts in three weeks and saying
how awesome our team is.
We don't need bandwagon fans like
you and we're better off without you.
This team is good and has had some bad
luck. I'm warning you now that this
team is going to turn some heads before
the season is over.
I am convinced that this team is
closing the gap between the upper-level
teams in the SEC and is widening the
gap between the rest.
The way the defense has stepped up
it's play and the numbers the offense
has been able to produce can't do anything
but impress you. With a few breaks and
a few less feet of rain, the Gamecocks
could be 5-0 and we wouldn't be having
this conversation right now.
But they aren't and the fact still
remains that they need four wins out of
their next six games to be eligible for a
bowl. When they win their next three
games, USC will be 5-3 heading into the
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"Kentucky is a solid team,
and they do not make a lot of
mietolroe "
Brad Scott, USC head coach
H
CURRY
"We know that South Carolina
is really not a 2-3 football
team. This is the best South
Carolina team that we've
faced."
Bill Curry, Kentucky head coach
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Tennessee and Florida games.
Let's be honest, it'll take a miracle
for them to win either of those, but hey,
who predicted that Carolina would've
kept it close against Auburn.
At 5-5 heading into the battle for
Palmetto State supremacy on Nov. 23,
the Gamecocks should and will whip
those Tigers. Clemson right now is playing
well enough to beat up on some junior
varsity teams, but that's it.
They had to schedule a Division IAA
team to assure themselves of one
victory and held on to defeat the mighty
Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Carolina linebacker Shane Bumham
said that this team will find a way tc
make it to a bowl. I believe him.
Any bowl, yes even the Carquest
Bowl, would make the fens happy. Look
on the bright side: USC is undefeated
in the Carquest Bowl!
But seriously, the Gamecocks are
playing much better now than they did
two weeks ago. A Kentucky team whe
has managed to score only 27 points in
five games is the cure for Carolina.
lioing 6-5 would be nothing to be
ashamed of with this year's team. They
are young and are just now getting into
the swing of life in die mighty SEC. Give
them time and a summer to mature and
this team will be a force to reckon with
next fall.
SuSSEUfiBiu
ACHIM HUNT Sports Editor
South Carolina head football coach
Brad Scott knows that his team played
well at Auburn, and he also knows that
he needs to praise his team for their
effort.
However, he needs to be cautious
about getting a big head in what should
be a very winnable game at Kentucky
this weekend.
"Well, we played well enough to win
the football game against Auburn. That
effort shows that we are taking steps
to build this program," Scott said.
"The thing that really hurts is that
we really could have made up some
ground with a win, but it was not in
the cards for us.
"I am real proud of the team, and
the way that our coaches prepared them
for battle.
"It was a tough task to play at
Auburn, who is one of the better teams
in our conference."
Kentucky has won one game this
year, a 3-0 thriller over Indiana.
In conference play, they have been
blown out by Florida and Alabama in
the last two weeks.
Kentucky really seems to be missing
the services of Moe Williams, who
devastated Carolina and the rest of the
SEC last year.
"And now our biggest challenge is
this Kentucky football team. Kentucky
has had our number over the years.
Last year they just gave us a real
physical whipping.
"They have rallied the troops for
this ball game. It is a real key ball game
for our ball club.
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! reckoned with this year is the volleyball
, team. After winning two matches this
s weekend over Auburn and Alabama,
The Lady Gamecocks are 13-3 overall
and 4-0 in the SEC. It's the first time
, ever that the volleyball team has started
i out in the SEC with four victories.
; Going into the weekend, USC was
ranked third in the Division behind
Florida and Auburn. After defeating
the Eagles in an exciting five-set match,
: Carolina is assured of moving up in the
polls.
Coach Kim Hudson has assembled
i a team that is both very good and fun
> to watch. A winning team is much easier
to watch, and the Lady Gamecocks are
; doing that.
Players such as Ashley Edlund,
Heather Laridn, Fe Laires, Cindy Robaige
and Lori Drost have led this team to an
s impressive first-half record.
I If they can keep it going in the secondi
half of the season, which continues this
l weekend with games at Kentucky and
Tennessee, look for them to make their
i second consecutive appearance in the
r SEC tournament,
i Volleyball fever is catching on. The
i proof is in the growing crowds and
[ insanity at the matches. I urge you to
t catch it before ifs gone. Before you know
it, it'll be basketball season.
t '4.
" This is nno flint wo noorl til win
and we need to get our focus off of
Auburn and on Kentucky.
"Kentucky is a solid team, and they
do not make a lot of mistakes.
" Their defense is a' bend but don't
break' type of defense, and on offense
they run the ball right at you. This is
the third straight week we have faced
a team with that type of offense.
"I am confident that are our team
will have a positive attitude for this
game, and I know that they want to
win a game badly.
" There is a lot of hurt on this team
right now.
"We have been evenly matched with
just about eveiy team that Kentucky
has fielded against us, but we just can't
seem to out-play them on the field.
"One thing I see is that maybe Bill
Curry is a little bit more experienced
than me, and this is a game that they
feel can turn around their season.
"It is a great challenge for their
players and coaches this week."
Brad Scott does not feel that the
two quarterbacks change Kentucky
offense that much as Curry will switch
them in and out dvuing the ball game.
"They do have two quarterbacks in
Billy Jack Haskins and Tim Couch.
"With Billy Jade, they run the option
more, and with Couch he is more of a
drop-back passer.
"It really does not matter who their
quarterback is, because they run
basically the same offense with both
fellows.
"Our team wants to win one real
bad, and we think that we have the
chance this week. We are evenly
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Compiled by
Bryan Johnston
Cross Country
Hie USC women's cross country
team completed their third meet
Oct. 5 by placing fifth in the Wake
Forest Invitational at WinstonSalem,
N.C. The Gamecocks scored
126 points as Georgetown clinched
the women's title.
Ivana Skladana was Carolina's
lop finisher, in 17th place, with a
time of 18:36. Finishing second
through fifth were: Karen Padula
(40th at 19:50); Mary Barry (41st
at 19:52); Joyce Peebles (45th at
20:04) and Suzanne Higgins (48th
at 20:26).
South Carolina's next meet will
be at the Auburn Invitational at
Auburn, Ala., Oct. 12.
Men's Soccer
The Gamecocks dropped a 3-2
overtime decision to No. 8 Southern
Methodist in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 6.
With the score knotted 2-2 at
the end of regulation, Daniel
Hernandez was fouled in the goal
box and then connected on a penalty
kick in the 117th minute to give
SMU the game winner.
Shining for the Gamecocks was
freshman midfielder Ryan O'Neill,
scoring and assisting on Robbie
Pait's goal.
Carolina drops to 2-5-1 on the
year.
Women's Soccer
The Carolina women's soccer
team defeated Wofford Tuesday
night, 3-0 in Spartanburg.
Freshman Jennie Ondo had two
goals and senior Debbie Smith had
a goal and an assist.
The victory over the Terriers
raises the Lady Gamecock's record
to 6-6 on the season.
Schedules
The men's soccer team hosts
The Citadel tonight at 7 p.m. at
Eugene E. Stone III Stadium.
Carolina leads the all-time series,
14-0-0.
Last season, the Gamecocks
defeated The Citadel, 3-0, behind
two goals from Ail-American Clint
Mathis.
- Carolina will then meet North
Carolina in Chapel Hill Oct. 13 at
2 p.m. The Tarheels hold a 9-6-1
edge in the series and a 6-0-1 record
in Chapel Hill versus the Gamecocks.
Last year, USC defeated UNC,
3-1, behind two goals from Chuck
Prosser.
The women's soccer team will
host the Florida Gators in a 7 p.m.
SEC matchup.
Florida holds a 2-0 lead in the
brief series.
The last time a nationally-ranked
women's soccer team came to
Columbia, the Gamecocks defeated
No. 9 Clemson, 3-2, earlier this year.