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Hot-hai asst. sports editor HATHAH BROWN GREENVILLE ? What in the world is a Paladin? According to Furman University, a Paladin is a knight on a horse. But as far as USC basketball was concerned, the Paladins were just another team in a long series of six games m 10 days, who would provide a little breather and a little fun for the Gamecocks before USC heads back into the grind of the SEC and Top 25 play. With a hot hand from behind the 3point arc in the first half and strong defense, the No. 14 Gamecocks (14-3,5-2 SEC) jumped out to a sizable lead and in the end knocked the knights off their horses 79-52 in Furman's brand-new Timmons Arena. "In the first half, we were very sharp and shot the ball well," USC head coach Eddie Fogler said. "[We] got off to a good start. In the first 20 minutes, we played really good basketball...Herbert Lee Davis is starting to come around offensively for us. That's a really big bonus Williorno ? JL1JL1GU.11o, 4 asst. sports editor HATHAH BROWN Coming off a strong defensive ef fort against Furman, the Gamecocks look to duplicate that performance tonight when the Florida Gators come to Frank McGuire Arena for a 7:3C p.m. tip-off. Defense will be of the utmost im portance, especially from 3-point range for Carolina as the Gators rank second in the nation in 3-point shooting. "They are a very good shooting team," Bj Mckie said. "We're going tc have to stay out on the perimeter and guard their guards. Their guards are Remembf h Lcr Enteral a Sprini Is the one closest far-off place? Spenc long distance? Like Is that a stupid ques Enter the Sprint L< Story Contest and y< love from afar this V year long using a Sp OFFICIAL RULES 4 REGULATIONS: No purchase San Diego State, University of North Carolina, Univei lated or illegible entries. Entries will be judged by a each of the 15 participating schools. Winners will I bility/publicity release. By participating in the conte Story Winners, 8140 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, M( tided Ga: to our team. We played everybody. The first half was very well done; [inj the second we went through the motions of a team up by 20 points." The first half saw Carolina catch on fire from 3-point range as USC made nine of 16 3-point attempts. In a five and a half minute span, Carolina scored 17 points with 15 coming from five threes. The threes were flowing like rain from the finger tips of Herbert Lee Davis. Davis, en route to tying a personal best of 13 points, shot 75 percent from 3-point land. Averaging nine nnrr mrnr fVta loaf oiv rramtxa T^otria Vtoa JSJfg UTUi UK luot OiA gCUUCO) Jua* lO liOO experienced somewhat of a turnaround in his season, after averaging only four ppg in the first nine games of the year. "I guess it was just one of those days that I was shooting the ball well with confidence," Davis said. UI had my career-high 13 last year [against Furman]. Maybe I need to play Furman a little more. Tm starting to feel a lot more comfortable. My shot is starting to fall. Be, Gamecocl going to chalI ^llllk lenge us on the offensive ? ....|| A Hie 13.2 points" WILLIAMS Also back from a year ago is forward Greg Stolt who aver, aged a team-high 13.9 ppg. One player who is not returning for the Gators is LeRon Williams. 5r when you; re W WSmBBm ; t kI^I^ ^f j^m jjjj '.: ^ w e Sprint long r FflNftARIT uini to your heart in some for $500 1 I a lot of time talking All you i to get that time free? distance 1 >tion? wax poet 3ng Distance Love Just keep ou can profess your don't forg alentine's Day and all address, p rint FONCARD good If yours t necessary. Contest is open to ail students curreni sity of Texas, Florida State University, Cornell University, 0 panel of Sprint associates and staff members of college m )6 notified by February 12,1998. All winners must be wil ist, entrants agree to be bound by official rules and decisic D 64114. mecock ihg a shooter and your shot is not falling is like the end of the world. But when it's starting to fall and the confidence is coming back, your mechanics start to fit in and the rim is like a big ocean, like Michael Jordan said. It feels good. I'm confident," he said. With a total of six players making threes, Davis wasn't the sole long-range bomber. But no player contributed more greatly to the win than Bj Mckie. Finishing with a team-high 16 points, Mckie made 60 percent of his 3-pointers, shot 50 percent from the field and led the team in steals with three. "It feels good [when everyone's shots go in]," Mckie said. "It takes a lot of pressure off of you... We just had some open looks, and we concentrated on our shots, and they fell tonight. It makes it a whole lot easier when they're falling." The shots were also falling for LeRon Williams who finished with 14 points. With his second consecutive game of 14 points, Williams looks to have started down the path toward consistency, especially when you consider that the last ts ready fc Williams transferred from UF a year ago to join Carolina's squad. Once in Columbia, Williams has seen his numbers dramatically improve from his days in Gainesville where he averaged 6.2 ppg and 3.4 rpg in two seasons. Currently, Williams is averaging 10.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg. In the last three contests, this Bradenton, Fla., native has averaged 17.7 ppg and 5.7 rpg. This is going to be a war," Williams said. They will come up here hyped up...Basically, Fm just going to go out and play. They have a good shooting team. [Florida coach Billy] Donovan has that up-and-down tempo so we'll have to go out and play a good game. L yCLLZlLlUS ?X n't p rang Distance love rill $500 in Fl worth of free long distance! havp tn Hn ic f#?II lie l/nnr Innn IV/ V*V AU VVU VAvJ J Vtu. ove story. Get mushy, be funny, ic, sing a sad song, whatever, it to 50 words or less. And jet to include your name, >hone number and school, is chosen as the most creative tly enrolled at Auburn University, University of Kan: hio State University, and University of Southern Californi ewspapers. Entries must be no more than fifty words fi ling to be profiled in an editorial feature published by th >ns of the judges Void where prohibited by law. All fi s scorch two games were on the road where 1 Williams has been less effective. "I'm going out and playing my 1 game," Williams said. "Hopefully, it will continue and be more consistent." Consistency has not been a problem | for Carolina's defense. The Gamecocks 1 have held 16 of their 17 opponents to 1 45.8 percent or lower from the field. The trend continued for USC as Furman 1 was able to muster only a 36.1 field goal 1 percentage. Also, Carolina did not al- 1 low any FU player to score in double 1 digits. The Paladins had trouble just | getting into scoring position with USC I racking up nine steals, 20 turnovers | and five blocks against FU. More impressively, Carolina closed the door on | FlFs 3-point shot. Furman attempted 1 13 3-pointers and made zero. With Monday's win against Fur- ?| man, the Gamecocks ride a four game f| winning streak into Wednesday's con- g test against Florida. w F1 nrirla I /JL A 1V/I 1UU I Td be lying if I said that I wouldn't [be playing with some extra passion]...I just want to go and play. If he [Donovan] wants to make it a statement game, then so be it. Fm not trying to make that. I could care or less about the negative terms [that were exchanged between Donovan and me]. Fm just going to go play for the University of South Carolina," he said. In this series, USC is down 16-13 to the Gators. In the Coliseum, the margin is closer, but Florida still leads 9-8. For those of you who didn't get tickets, the game will not be televised, but you can buy tickets from the ath- ' letic department. ei sli dd, ay th1 again ! story Contest NEE long-distani entry on your campus, you win the Sprint FONCARD! And, no doubt, tl undying love of your object d'affect To find out more about how the 5 FONCARD offers you simple rates, j service and Cool Rewards, visit us ai www.spnnt.com/coiiegc toaay. sas, University of Arizona, University of South Carolina, A ia Contest entries must be received by midnight, February 5 1 i length. Winners will be chosen based on originality and cre? eir campus newspaper. All entries become the property of Sp jderal, state and local laws and regulations apply. For names v Paladins 79-52 ' ' '::- ;. v ' BRYAN JOHNSTON The Gamecock nior Metvin Watson scored five points and racked up a team-high ght assists in Monday's contest against Furman. Watson's defensive ills will be tested tonight against the sharpshootlng Gators. A A e bills"? . v JkSs v. / i?Sb8& . ^ B ^Bg||| ft and you could win ce calls for a year! free Wey, Gamecocks! Send your entry now to: le Sprint Long Distance Love Story Contest ion. c/o The Gamecock jprint 1400 Greene Street ^ Treat Russell House, 3rd floor t Columbia, 3C zyzux Entries must be received by midnight, February 5. WHIYIMITT S-L A r<tJ? SOUTH ^ Sprint. QVROUNA BO OK sfo ? f; irizona State University, University of Colorado, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, 1998. Only one entry per student will be accepted. Not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, mutiitivity of written submissions. All decisions of the judges are final. One winner will be chosen from rint and cannot be returned. No transfer of prizes permitted Winners will be required to sign a lia- ^ of winners, after 2/14/98, send a separate self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Long Distance Love