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1QQ7 w m. LARRY WILLIAMS Senior Writer USCs men's basketball team enjoyed a roller coaster, record-breaking season. But the record-breaking season didn't begin in record-breaking fashion. In the Maui Invitational Nov. 25-27, USC suffered a 23-point loss to the Virtnnia Cavaliers and managed tn win two over Chaminade and LSU. After back-to4)ack wins over Woffbrd and UNOChariotte, USC led at halftone against North Carolina, but was overpowered by the Tar Heels and lost by 11. It got downright dismal for USC Dec. 17, when Clemson came to Frank McGuire Arena and crushed the Gamecocks by 19 points, 58-39. Then, Big South conference member UNCAsheville came to Columbia and stunned USC, 80-74. After a "break" and a 79^0 win over South Carolina State, the Gamecocks were upset by yet another Big South team, this one Charleston Southern, in a disastrous 85-81 loss that made USC's preseason expectations of an NCAA Tburnament appearance seem lieht vears awav. The Gamecocks' record then stood at 5-5, and the meat of the schedule had yet to be played. Their shooting was poor, their rebounding sloppy, and their names the laughingstock of the SEC. Who would have imagined that the next two months would see the Gamecocks go on a record-breaking tear through the SEC and reach as high as No. 4 in the national rankings? Certainly not many. The following are game highlights of the Gamecocks' improbable run to the SEC title. Dec. 30?Furman...USC rebounds from its crushing loss to Charleston Southern with an easy, 100-62 win over the Paladins. Nothing special, though. Secord: 6-5. Jaa 4 ? Auburn... The Gamecocks celebrate the new year, and the start of their SEC schedule with a convincing 66-56 win over the Tigers. William Gallman perhaps gives fans a glimpse of the near future, scoring 19 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, both team highs. Previously, Gallman had left much to be desired with a nagging leg injuiy. All signs say Gallman is back. Record: 7-5. Jan. 15 ? at Florida... The Gamecocks take their road show to Gainesville to see if their good luck will "follow them. Down 16 points with a little over five minutes left, the Gamecocks turn it on with a late 18-0 run and a lastseccnd shot by B J. McKe to defeat the Gators 80-79. The win, USC's fifth-straight, pushes it to first in the SECs eastern division with a 40 mark. Record: 10-5. Jan. 18?Georgia.. After falling behind in the first half, the Gamecocks I I ord brcs BIS Bt - |9pS ^ !U| p BM^granti, , - ?B . J|i.| V IjH ilIp, Gamecocks guard Melvin \\ game. Watson led the team ii blister the nets in the second sta using a 30-15 run to put away th< 21 Bulldogs, 82-71. Record: 11-5. Jan. 22 ? at Alabama... A second layup by Melvin Watson { USC a 62-60 victory over the Crii Tide. McKie scores 18 points to USC, and Gallman pulls dow rebounds ? his third-straight g loariincr fho foam in ffio rohmin IVUUlilg VA1V VVIMU V?<V * vwvw column. Record: 12-5. Jan. 25 ? Ole Miss... Inste: having the expected brutal, low-scc affair with the tough Rebels, Gamecocks have some fun, blowing Ole Miss 86-63. McHe pours in 26 p and notches 11 rebounds to lead Gamecocks, who win their eig straight and improve their SEC re to 7-0, which is tops in the confen Record: 13-5. Jan. 29 ? at Vanderbilt... No. 25 Gamecocks earn the mon "Cardiac Kids" with their third-stra last-second win on the road, as a We jumper with 16.7 seconds left lifts 1 65-64. Just two days earlier, stud camp at the Russell House with h SPORT! iking for b Kl: 1 m hH wjgB wffc ROBERT WALTON The Gamecock Watson lays the ball in at a 1997 home i assists with 157. inza, of obtaining tickets for USC's game 3 No. with Kentucky Feb. 4. Record: 14-5. Feb. 4 ? Kentucky... In front of last- a packed house reminiscent of the Frank jives McGuire days, No. 19 USC beats No. nson 3 Kentucky 84-79 in perhaps the greatest lead win in the history of the program. In nil cvertime,McI&sctHesei^t(fCai^ina,s ame final 10 points to seal the victory, which ding is broadcast on national television. usl; tans storm tne court, ana are id of last seen partying on Greene St. in the >ring wee hours of the morning. The the Gamecocks' winning streak, now at 11 I out games, is their longest since the 1970aints 71 team won 12 games en-route to a 1 the 23-6 season. Record: 16-5. fhth Feb. 8?Florida.. The Gamecocks cord keep it perfect with a 76-68 win over ;nce. the Gators. The Gamecocks come out flat in the first half, but regain control The with a 15-5 run down the stretch to put iker away the Gators for the second time in ight, the season. USC runs its SEC record itson to 11-0, which is easily the best mark [JSC in the conference. Record: 17-5. ents Feb. 12?at Georgia... Hie bubble opes bursts in Athens. USC falls victim to 5 asketbal hot shooting by the Bulldogs and < its 12-game wining streak. Davis 1< USC with 24 points. Record: 17-6 Feb. 15 ? at Cincinnati... N< USC rebounds with a shocking shot display, beating the No. 8 Bear handily, 97-83. The Gamecocks n their first seven 3-point attempts, proceed to connect on 15 of 24 attei fcr a whopping 62.5 percentage. Care which missed some crucial free tt attempts down the stretch aga fjpnrcrin arp crnnH nn 99 nf fVipi attempts in the second half. The Gamecocks' No. 12 record, w seemed in jeopardy after the Geo loss, improves. Record: 18-6. Feb. 18 ? Arkansas... No. 91 dominates the Razorbacks from outset and cruises to a 78-65 victor national television. Larry Davis 1< USC with 17 points, and Ryan S grabs 12 rebounds, as USC impr its conference mark to 12-1. Rec 19-6. Feb. 26-VanderbOt... USC b the Commodores 74-53 to grab at 1 a share of the SEC regular season in its last home game of the sea McKie leads the Gamecocks wit] points, and Watson grabs nine reboi Record: 22-6. March 2 ? at Kentucky... game almost no one gives them a ch to win, the Gamecocks shock DasKetDaii wona with a Y2-bt> trui at Rupp Arena. Rick Pitino is eje in the waning moments for argui call with a referee. The win gives 1 sole possession of the SEC regi season title, and pushes the Gamec to a No. 4 ranking. Record: 23-6 March 7, SEC Tournamen Alabama... USC cruises to a 72-61 over the Crimson Tide. The wi characterized by what got them a this year: hot shooting, scrappy defe and tough rebounding. Record:! March 8, SEC Tournamen Georgia.. USC leads at halftime ag Georgia, then the bottom drops The Gamecocks go cold from the f and are pushed around by the Bull in the paint, as Georgia wins 78-( knock USC out of yet another showc OA 1 WlUl IVClllU^xvj. iitwiu. usr i March 14, NCAA Tournam ? Coppin St.... While it's not lil many in South Carolina heard of Co State before the tournament, the f money says they do now. And so < most everyone around the coun In an flop that rivals those for w Arizona and Syracuse are famous, 2 seed USC was blown out by No seed Coppin State, 78-65. The loss br shock waves throughout the sp< community, and tears to the I community. Quick feds about the recard-brea 1996-97 season: final record 24-8, 1 SEC); home record: 11-3; road rec 9-1; neutral: 44; television: 134. ii BSBBi i mwijim mds jads ). 12 tog Men's Golf cats As of presstime, the team was lake in Lake Forest, 111. competing in flfld fkn MP A A Pliomninnakm TKn U1U A1W4X&X VilCUllJ/lUUCJlU^. iliv npts Gamecocks advanced after dina, finishing ninth at the NCAA East tow Regional in Hot Springs, Va. The inst team finished in 22nd place at r 35 last year's NCAA Championship. hich Women's Golt rgia Rebekah Lee-Owens shot a 309 (80-73-76-80) in the NCAA JSC Women's Golf Championship at the Columbus, Ohio. The senior y on finished the event in 66th place, iads tack Men's Tennis oves Columbia native Keith Brill ord: fell 6-7,6-3,7-6 in the second round of the NCAA Singles lasts Championship in Los Angeles, east Calif. Brill, ranked No. 32 in the title nation, finished the season with son- a 32-16 record. hl8 Jerome Jourdon was inds. defeated in the first round 6-1, 64. The No. 24-ranked Jourdon In a finished 25-9. ance the Women's Tennis mph Karolina Bulat and Tobi cted Rakic fell in the first round of nga the NCAA Doubles USC Championship, held in Stanford, ular Calif. The No. 21-ranked duo fell ocks to the No. 1 ranked pair 6-3,76, and ended their the season tt- 13-7. win in is 3 far TRACK continued from page 16 mse, Watts won his second SEC title in 24-6 the 800 meters with a time of 1:47.91. it ? "It feels good to win," Watts said. ainst "It gives me a lot of confidence for the out. NCAAs." ield, The men's 4x100 relay team finished dogs second with a school-best 39.53-second >3 to finish. And LaBarbera finished second lown in the javelin at 229 feet, just nine inches short of the winning mark, ent The team also did well May 24 at kely the Georgia Ifech Invitational, ppin Misipeka took first in the Vtammpr jood (207 feet, 6 indies), with Ellerbe second loes (203 feet, 2 inches). EDerbe also finished itry. second in the discus (176 feet, 4 inches), hich Mitchell was third in the javelin (158 No. feet, 3 inches). 1.15 Mannon won the men's shot put mgs (60 feet, 3 inches), discus (177 feet, 9 orts inches) and hammer (212 feet, 2 inches). JSC The men's 4x100 relay team also took first place (:39.77). ? So while many students will be king thinking about late nights on the job, (15- these 16 USC athletes will be ?rd; concentrating on hurdles, hammers, heptathlons and more.