The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 17, 1997, Page 16, Image 16
GAMECOCK
ATHLETICS
Mens' Basketball vs. Georgia
Saturday, 1:00 p.m.
Frank McGuire Arena
Womens' Basketball vs. Arkansas
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Frank McGuire Arena
Late 18LARRY
WILLIAMS Senior Writer
Christmas arrived late for the
USC men's basketball team.
After enduring a tough loss to
Clemson and two horrifying upsets
to UNC-Asheville and Charleston
Southern in December, the
Gamecocks (10-5) have caught fire
in January to lead the SEX! East and,
perhaps more importantly, have
renewed their once-dying NCAA
Tournament hopes.
TTOn ? -i J il _
uov/ came irum id uown in me
second half Wednesday to beat the
Florida Gators 80-79, and in the
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LARRY WILLIAMS Senior Writer
What were promising prospects ft
quickly turned sour during and after
58-39 loss to arch rival Clemson D
Carolina host;
LARRY WILLIAMS Senior Writer
For the USC men's basketball
team, it's crunch time.
The Gamecocks are atop the
Eastern Division of the Southeastern
Conference with a 4-0 record (10-5
overall). v
While USC's December losses
against UNC-Asheville and
Charleston Southern won't get past
the NCAA Selection Committee,
continuing to post formidable
numbers in conference play will be
certain to turn committee members'
heads.
And, as the schedule might
indicate, the time is now.
In their next eight games, the
Gamecocks nlav eieht SEC contests.
including: Georgia (twice), Alabama
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0 run k<
process edged their conference record
to 4-0 ?the best mark out of the 12
SEC teams.
With time running down on the
shot and game clocks, sophomore
guard BJ McKie drove the lane and
threw up a running jumper that
sailed through the net with 4.6
seconds left to give USC the comefrom-behind
win over the Gators,
who dropped to 8-8 (1-3 SEC).
It was an improbable ending for
the Gamecocks in a game they found
themselves behind early and often.
Down by 16 in the second half,
the Gamecocks went on a 22-5 run
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What the Gamecocks ex
relatively easy four games :
>r USC Asheville, S.C. State, Charle
USCs and Furman turned into a ten
ec. 17. that might still haunt them
5 Georgia in k
(away), Ole Miss, Vanderbilt (away),
LSU (away), Kentucky and Florida
(Feb 8).
USC will have a chance to
improve its SEC record to 5-0
tomorrow against Georgia.
The Bulldogs, who lost all five
starters from last year, have surprised
many with a 12-3 start.
Leading the way has been
sophomore guard G.G. Smith, who
is the son of head coach Tubby Smith,
and a young cast of over-achievers
who propelled Georgia to No. 21
before their 86-65 loss to Kentucky
Tuesday.
The Bulldogs, who managed to
keep with the No.4 Wildcats to begin
the game, were out-scored 15-6 over
the final 5:43 of the half to go down
40-26.
Chad Barnhardt, backup QB for
last season's Gamecock football
squad has n >nrpn
transferred to 01 Ul\ 1 Q
the University j w j ^
of South J\EWS
Florida.
Barnhardt said he wanted to play
near his home in Lake Wells, F1
and have a chance at being a starting
QB.
r$ ON MONDAY Complete gan
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in the last five minutes to overwhelm
the Gators. And no one was bigger
than senior guard Larry Davis, who
led Carolina with a game-high 26
points on 7-13 shooting from the field,
including 6-11 from 3-point range.
Davis also was a perfect 6-6 from
the free-throw line.
"It was a lot of fun," Davis said.
"The last time we played here, we '
lost to them, and in order for us to
be a good team, we have to win these
type games away from home."
USC has won four straight SEC
games and holds a lofty perch above
the SEC's Eastern Division. With '
Bud Johnson (left) finish*
Melvin Watson (above)
Tigers. William Gallman
Furman. After an awftd D<
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pected to be a USC answered the
against UNC- a lackluster, 80-76 u
ston Southern Asheville Dec. 19. For tf
rifying monster game at home, the Gi
in March. overcome a poor first h
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Tip-off at Frank McGuire Arena
tomorrow is 1 p.m.
Notes:
LeRon Williams, who played for
Florida the last two seasons, will
play for the Gamecocks next
December.
He reportedly registered for classes
this week.
Williams, a former high-school
basketball Mr. Florida selection, is
a 6-7 junior forward and will have
two years of eligibility left.
Williams started 24 games last
season and averaged 10 points and
4.8 rebounds per game.
He led the Gators in field goal
percentage (.52) and blocked shots
(34).
Minnesota Timberwolves photographer
Eugene Amos is planning to
file a law suit against
Chicago Bull bad-boy (_)J
Dennis Rodman. Rodman m i
kicked Amos in the groin f\| It '
Wednesday night after
Amos filmed Rodman
while on the baseline. Amos was
carried out of the Target Center on
a stretcher and in severe pain.
ieorgia
ne analysis of Carolina vs. G
cock cc
their second road win, the Gamecocks
doubled their win total from last
season.
The Gators opened the second
half in dominant fashion, as they
broke open a 39-39 halftime tie to
extended their lead to as much as
16 when they went ahead 74-58 with
just over five minutes in the game.
Then the Gamecocks began their
last-gasp effort.
Chipping bit-by-bit, the Gamecocks
found themselves down by only five
when Davis canned a 3-pointer with
3:55 left to make the score 74-69.
Twelve seconds later, sophomore
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ROBERT WALTON The Gameco
? ofT a slam dunk against Clemsot
drives to the basket against tb
(right) goes up for a shot again;
pc., (JSC is undefeated in 1997.
rst
see
: Clemson loss with rally fell shori
ipset loss to UNC- crowd of 5,19;
le second consecutive It was the
imecocks could not Gamecocks, w
alf effort, and a late finishing 38.8
William Gallman BJ!
20 6-7 So. 3 0
Men
10 i
Ryan Stack Lari
54 6-11 Jr. 4 6
CAROL]
The NCAA voted earlier this week
to allow scholarship athletes to
hold down part-time jobs.
RT^S This is the first time athletes
are being allowed to
IlM/ ^ accept a salary for
employment. This rule
does not allow players to
market their name or number on
athletic apparel unlike pro athletes
who get a portion of the earnings.
tmeback
Bud Johnson was fouled and nailed
the two free throws.
On the ensuing possession,
Johnson again came through with
a block, after which Davis nailed two
free throws after having been fouled
to complete an 18-0 run.
All-in-all, USC out-scored the
Gators 22-4 in the last 5:13, the most
important points coming on McKie's
running jumper.
"We felt very confident that the
ball would bounce in our corner and
felt good about our chances," McKie
said after the game.
The Gamecocks opened the game
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t as USC was upset before a Des]
8 at Frank McGuire Arena. Dec. 21
third consecutive loss for the Dec. 28
ho again struggled shooting, upset, t]
percent from the floor.
Vickie G.G. Smi(
-2 So. 12 5-11 !
ry Davis Michael C
8 Sr. 24 6-4 S
6. Arizona
7. Minnesc
8. Iowa Stj
mm 9 9- Utah
10. Louisvil
i ir II. Marylai
1. Kansas \
2. Wake Forest !o'nT
lo. Duke
o. Llemson .
, . 14.Xavier
4. Cincinnati
c v ^ i 15. btanfor
o. Kentucky
BASKETBALL
SCOREBOARD
Temple 70
#4 Cincinnati 55
#12 New Mexico 57
Tulsa 80
Tulane 87
#14 Xavier, Ohio 85
victory
with a 5-0 lead, but the Gators
answered quickly with five-straight,
and out-scored the Gamecocks 2619
over the next 13:33.
With 2:12 left in the half, Davis
nailed a 3-pointer to close Florida's
lead to 35-34. Then, Davis sank two
free throws with 7.7 seconds left to
tie the score at 39 a piece going into
halftime.
The Gamecocks must now turn
their attention to No. 21 Georgia,
who visit Carolina tomorrow. Tipoff
is set for 1 p.m.
n ^ pm
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pite pounding S.C. State 79-60 on
, USC's troubles were not over. On
, the Gamecocks suffered another
his time an 85-81 loss to Charleston
BASKETBALL page 17
th Devln Baker
So. 15 6-7 Jr.
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o. Lorenzo Hall
32 6-9 Jr.
QRGIA
16. Villanova
ita 17. Indiana
ite 18. Michigan
19. Boston College
lie 20. Mississippi
id l 1. Georgia
;xico 22. North Carolina
23. Texas
24. Oregon
d 25. Texas Tech