The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 07, 1997, Page 7, Image 7
Gamecocks loo]
LARRY WILLIAMS Senior Writer
On the outside. Saturday's ramp
against the Florida Gators might
not appear as big as Tuesday's game
against Kentucky, which the
Gamecocks won 84-79.
While no one's claiming it holds
a candle to Tuesday's thriller, USC's
game against the Gators (7:30 p.m.
EST) tomorrow has more bite than
some think.
A win over the Gators (11-11,36
SEC) will reap some pretty
impressive rewards for USC (16-5,
10-0 SEC).
Among them: '
The Gamecocks can win for the
12th straight time after beginning
the season with a woeful 5-5 start.
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push its SEC-leading conference
record to 11-0. Phis, USC can remain
two games ahead of the Wildcats,
who have another shot at beating
the Gamecocks at Rupp Arena on
March 2. If the Gamecocks slip up
in a conference game, you'd better
believe the Wildcats will be ready
for the regular season ending game.
USC made a large leap in the
Associated Press poll last week,
having jumped from No. 25 to No.
19. A win over the Gators would
mean another substantial leap.
Having beaten the No. 3 Wildcats,
USC could appear as high as No. 12
when the poll is released again
Monday.
With a win Saturday, the
Gamecocks can tie a school record
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for consecutive victories, set in 1971
when USC captured 12 games in a
row en route to a 23-6 record, ACC
Tournament title, and the school's
first appearance ever in the NCAA
Tournament.
After going 19-35 in his first two
seasons, coach Eddie Fogler has
reversed those numbers in the past
two seasons, having compiled a 3517
record. A win over the Gators will
put Fogler two games above .500 at
Carolina with a 55-53 record.
The consensus among the
national media was that Tuesday's
win eliminated the Gamecocks from
being a "bubble team" when the
NCAA Tournament Selection
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Now, barring a major flop by the
Gamecocks, if s not a question of if,
but how high they will be seeded in
the tournament.
USC may have to overcome its
hangover from the Kentucky win
against the Gators. Despite average
results this season, incentive will be
no problem for the Gators, as the
Gamecocks are now the hunted rather
than the hunters in the SEC.
Florida has already matched its
win total from a year ago with 11
victories. The Gators are coming off
a 102-88 win vs. Jacksonville, which
snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Gators' 100-point effort, fueled
by an O'Connell Center record 15 3pointers,
was the first at home for
the Gators since 1988 and the second
time this year Florida has bettered
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the century mark.
UF's win came despite having
the services of just six scholarship
players for the fifth time this year.
The Gators will be seeking
redemption for their last meeting
against USC, one in which the
Gamecocks overcame a 16 point
second half deficit with an 18-0 run
to win 80-79.
UF's Greg Stolt made two free
throws to give the Gators a 79-78
lead with 37 seconds left. But that
was the last points Florida could
muster, as USC held the ball until
sophomore guard BJ McKie hit the
winning basket on a driving layup
with just four seconds remaining.
McKie, who scored eight of the
Gamecocks' 10 overtime points
against Kentucky, said USC can't
five off Tuesday's performance and
hope to beat Florida.
"Florida is a good team," McKie
said. "We almost lost to them last
time. We're gonna have to keep the
same intensity that we had for
Kentucky."
McKie said he doesn't think USC
will relax being two games ahead of
the Wildcats in the SEC East race.
"One of our main goals is to win
the Southeastern Conference," McKie
said. "We won't take anyone lightly,
because we always take it one game
at a time.
"We have to continue to do what
we've been doing, to have maturity
and not underestimate anybody,
McKie said."
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DAVID CLONNINGER Staff Writer
At the end of last season, the
Gamecock football team hoped to
add strength to their squad that
would make a serious challenge for
the SEC title.
Wednesday, they accomplished
their goal.
As National Signing Day drew
to a close, the Gamecocks had signed
29 new recruits and received verbal
commitments from two others. The
class is considered to be one of the
25 best in the nation.
Head coach Brad Scott took a
majority of in-state players instead
of dipping into Florida, Georgia and
Tennessee as he did last year. Of
the 29 who committed Wednesday,
17 are from South Carolina and only
10 are from Florida or Georgia.
When asked about his switch to
recruiting in-state players, Coach
Scott replied, "It was just a quality
group this year in-state that met
our needs. We needed to sign some
offensive and defensive linemen,
and what a great year it was for inGamecocks
show
RECAP continued from page 6
with 14:06 remaining.
Solution... Gallman later finds c
himself in a big way, contributing *
six points to USC's 12-0 run in the ^
second half to put the Gamecocks 1
ahead 52-44 at the 11:09 mark. I
Gallman's post-game box score more *
than makes up for his early-game
jitters: 5-of-12 shooting, 5-of-6 from 1
the line, eight rebounds (four offensive)
and 15 points. i
Problem... Early on, the
Gamecocks allow Kentucky forward <
Scott Padgett and center Nazr 1
Mohammed to roam free in the low 1
post for easy baskets. While USC *
enjoys three leads in the first half, 1
they are quickly erased by the i
Wildcats, who make it look easy in 1
the paint.
Solution... In the second half, ]
USC applies pressure to UKsv inside 1
game, bringing guard Larry Davis <
to the low post often in an attempt i
to squelch the Wildcats' inside game.
It works. Gutty defense by Gallman, ^
Davis, Ryan Stack (who had two
blocks) and Nate Wilbourne, the
Gamecocks force the 'Cats back
outside. Kentucky's Mohammed
finishes with just five points.
Problem... After drawing his
adi!
Sweepstakes
lances you have to win!
itroM recru
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state linemen." i
All 17 of the in-state players are 4
ranked in the Top 30 of SuperPrep \
magazine. Among the linemen i
chosen, five offensive linemen were ]
in the top five, and three defensive 4
players were in the same category, f
Coach Scott has big plans for the t
bumper crop, but not right away, t
He plans on redshirting most of the *
class, but of course, there might be i
exceptions. }
One such is QB Phil Petty out 4
of Boiling Springs. Petty is a 6-4, i
185 pound phenom who threw for i
3,726 yards and 35 touchdowns in
just two seasons. He will be expected 1
to step up into the vacant spot left (
by backup QB Chad Barnhardt,
who transferred to South Florida. ?
Other highlights include: ]
Duane Brisbon?a comerback from ?
Holly Hill who is the state champ
in the 400-meter run. ]
Kevin Brooks?a junior college i
transfer who is ranked No. 1 in the
country as a JUCO cornerback. ]
Sheldon Brown?a Lewisville free i
safety who is the Associated Press' 1
ing signs of chan
fourth foul with 12:24 left in the tl
game, Wildcats forward Ron Mercer o
sits an the bench until the 8:40 mark,
luring which USC stretches its lead le
0 11. When Mercer returns, he brings gi
JlCs momentum back with him. Ci
During the next 5:30, the Wildcats U
)ut on a clinic, going on a 25-10 run
a take a 74-69 lead with 1:25 left, w
[he run is fueled by four 3-pointers of
yy the Wildcats. u]
Solution... Facing a seemingly
nsurmountable 5-point deficit with sf
LK)6 remaining, Davis throws up a tl
lesperation 3-pointer that sails (C
through the net and breathes new w
ife into the Gamecocks. A man on si
1 mission, junior guard Melvin (a
Watson picks up a Wildcat turnover, gi
races downcourt and lays the ball in oi
jo tie the score at 74. ? u
Problem... With 27 seconds
remaining, Kentucky has a chance sc
bo win an its last possession. Kentucky B
:oach Rick Pitino goes with what c<
worked during the 25-10 run: high- p
post screens to free up Padgett for K
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Solution... This time, USC is g
ready. Two defenders meet UK guard tl
Allen Edwards at the top of the key [t
to shut off passing lanes. The pick k
is unsuccessful, and a desperation v
shot by Mercer falls harmlessly off p
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iting class
n-state player of the year.
Andre Goodman?a Greenville
vide receiver who caught 25 passes
or 580 yards and six ID'S his senior
fear.
Marco Hutchinson?a linebacker
Tom Northwestern who had 221
ackles and six sacks while anchoring
he state's No. 1 defense.
Isaac Mitchell?a Columbia
-unning back who averaged 10.2
fards a carry and scored ten TD's.
Brian Scott?a Darlington wide
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md No. 5 nationally.
The list includes five offensive _
inemen who should make up one
)f the strongest lines in the nation.
SuperPrep editor Allen Wallace
?aid, It's likely it will end up as the
tfo. 1 group in the nation. I haven't
seen a better group yet."
The team can only sign 25
slayers, but academic regulations
vill cut down on the players eligible.
Also, Bo Browne, a 6-1, 220
pound linebacker from Jacksonville
signed at MTSU instead of with
use.
ipionship team
he rim and the game is sent into
vertime.
With Watson a tired, drained
ader, sophomore guard BJ McKie
abs the reins and scores eight of
arolina's 10 overtime points to give
SC perhaps its greatest win ever.
For Davis, the difference in
inning and losing against a team
Kentucky's caliber can be summed
p in one word: composure.
"We played games earlier in the
>ason where we went out against
lat other school down the street
Jlemsan), and when we played them,
e were a little jacked up," Davis
aid. "But we wanted to go out
igainst Kentucky) and execute our
ame plan on the defensive and
fensive end and not get too jacked
p and make mistakes."
Gallman said the last-minute
jueakers on the road against Florida,
ama and Vandy gives USC the
anfidence it needs to overcome
roblems against the greats like
jentucky.
"We've played some real .close
ames this year," Gallman said. "I
hink that right there helped us
igainst Kentucky]. We keep going,
eep our composure, and we don't
rorry about it if we get down by 10
oints or go up by 10 points."
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