The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 26, 2000, Page B1, Image 11
Inside: Schedule
USC athletes make the grade in fall 1999 ■ Men’s basketball vs. Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m.
semester; Gamboa makes run for title at ■ Women’s basketball at Arkansas, Thu.
SEC Indoor Tennis Championships u Track at ETSU Invitational, Fri.
■ Swimming atAuburn, Fri.
J ■ Men’s tennis at USC Invitational, Fri.
Wednesday, January 26,2000 101C 03IHCCOCk ” Page B1
USC tries to halt streaking Vandy
by David Cloninger
Sports Editor
The USC men’s basketball team,
reeling from four consecutive losses,
will try to break out of their current
funk by beating No. 20 Vanderbilt
tonight at Frank McGuire Arena.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt (12-3,3-2 SEC), comes
into the game on a high note, getting
a solid start in Southeastern Confer
ence play and taking No. 18 Kentucky
to overtime Saturday before being de
feated. Preseason All-American Dan
Langhi is averaging 22.1 points per
game, and has been the Commodores’
catalyst for the entire season.
For USC, the game is the start of
four straight games against ranked op
ponents, with only two in the friend
ly confines of Carolina Coliseum. The
Gamecocks (9-9,1-4 SEC) need a win
to keep their hopes afloat for post
season play.
Guards
Vandy has an excellent trio of
guards in sophomore Sam Howard and
seniors Atiba Prater and James Strong.
Strong is the second-leading scorer
for Vanderbilt behind Langhi, and has
61 assists for the season. Prater is wind
ing down a brilliant career at Van
derbilt while collecting an SEC-lead
ing 98 assists already this year.
Although he averages only 7.3 points
per game, Prater directs the high-scor
ing Commodore offense and is the
team’s floor leader.
USC will be directed once again
by sophomore Aaron Lucas and fresh
man phenom Chuck Eidson.
Lucas continues to play solid bas
ketball, averaging 7.4 points per game
and amassing 88 assists for the year.
Eidson, meanwhile, is being discussed
by all of USC’s previous opponents
as one of the future’s bright stars. The
freshman is leading the conference
with 58 steals, has 63 assists and av
erages 10.3 points per game. How
ever, Eidson has scored 24 and 17
points, respectively in his last two
matches.
Both of USC’s guards were lim
ited by foul trouble in the Gamecocks’
90-62 loss at Georgia. If Eidson and
Lucas get into early foul trouble ggain,
USC might have a long night ahead.
Forwards
Langhi enters the game as the
SEC’s leading scorer and has already
won one SEG Player of the Week
award this year. The driving force be
hind head coach Kevin Stallings’ high
powered offense, Langhi is in the top
five of almost every SEC offensive
statistical category and is making Vhndy
a legitimate contender to run into the
NCAA Tournament. The versatile.se
nior is a threat from anywhere on the
floor, playing power forward mostly
but=also platooning at center.
Langhi is helped by junior An
thony Williams, who scores around
nine points a game and vacuum-cleans
the boards, averaging 6.6 rebounds
per game. He and Langhi combine to
present one of the SEC’s more for
midable inside forces, both on offense
and defense.
The Gamecocks are without a typ
ical beefed-up, bang-inside forward,
so they use senior guard Herbert Lee
Davis as a swingman, flashing outside
and then in to lead the team in scor
ing with 10.9 points per game.
USC also uses sophomore Damien
Kinloch, a 6-10 forward who aver
ages 4.7 per game, both in points and
rebounds. Also, redshirt junior Anto
nio Grant helps out in the paint and
has a good shot from the 3-point line.
Center
The Commodore and Game
cock centers both have something
in common they don’t score many
points per game, but no defender wants
to get in their way.
Vandy is led by sophomore Dar
ius Coulibaly, a 7-1 blocker from
Greensboro, who has rejected 17 shots
this year. He joins with 6-10 junior
Greg LaPointe, who collects 5.5 points
per game but onlyhas two blocks for
the year.
USC starts 6-11 freshman Marius
Petravicius, who has had several
solid games this year and averages 7.8
points per game.
Redshirt freshman Tony Kitchings
adds in a team-leading 21 blocks for
the year, as well as 6.6 points per game.
Both of the USC big men are reliable,
but lack the scoring drive necessary
to match up with the other centers of
the SEC.
▼
Langhi key for
Vandy victory
by Jeff Romig
Sports Editor
Eddie Fogler wouldn’t comment on
how other SEC teams have guarded Van
derbilt forward Dan Langhi.
He would only say that the Gamecocks
(9-9,1-4 SEC) would do their best against
the 20th-ranked team’s top player.
The 6-11 senior has established him
self as one of the premier players in the
SEC this year, averaging 22.1 points
and 5.7 rebounds a game. His scoring av
erage is tops in the SEC and ninth in the
country.
If USC can figure out a way to guard
Langhi, they will have done something
that only one team has done all season.
Langhi has scored in double figures against
every opponent except for Belmont.
Langhi could only managed four points
in the Commodores (12-3,3-2 SEC) first
game of the season.
He’s scored 20-plus in 10 of 15 games
and scored 30-plus on three occasions.
“He’s terrific offensively,” Fogler
said. “He as good as there is - hard to stop.”
Fogler won’t do anything special to
shut down Langhi.
“I think everybody puts an empha
sis on trying in some way contain him,”
Fogler said “I don’t think anybody goes
into a game with Vanderbilt and doesn’t
concentrate on Langhi to some degree.”
Langhi isn’t solely a scoring threat.
His ability to combine height, ball-han
dling ability and perimeter scoring allow
him to play either forward position suc
cessfully.
“Their sets are geared to give him
opportunities,” Fogler said “He’s a prob
lem for anybody. He is one of the most
versatile big men in the United States.”
Langhi isn’t the only person the
Gamecocks have to worry about though.
“Their guards are very good” Fogler
said “I’ve always been abig [Atiba] Prater
fan. He’s excellent in the open court and
excellent in making decisions.”
Prater is averaging 7.3 points and 6.6
assists a game. He leads the SEC in assists
and is second in career assists at Vander
bilt with 435.
“They are offensively diverse,” Fogler
said “Kevin Stallings has done an excel
lent Job installing his system. They picked
it up great.”
Sean Rayford Gamecock Sports
USC’s Chuck Eidson (center) goes up for a layup against Georgia’s Adrian Jones (11) and Shon Coleman
(51). USC lost to Georgia 90-62 on Jan. 22. It was their fourth consecutive loss.
USC Men's Basketball Team Statistics (through Jan. 26)
PLAYER
14 Herbert Lee Davis
31 Chuck Eidson
35 Antonio Grant
12 Marius Petravicius
05 Aaron Lucas
50 Tony Kitchings
33 Damien Kinloch
15 Travis Kraft
10 jamel Bradley
32 Calvin Clemmons
00 David Ross
04 Ivan Howell
20 Jo Jo Cadray
24 Brian Scott
gp-gs min-avg
18-18 477-26.5
18-8 497-27.6
17- 13 434-25.5
18- 18 374-20.8
18-18 575-31.9
18-0 372-20.7
18-15 380-21.1
11-0 12-11.5
17- 0 123-7.2
7-0 43-6.1
18- 0 158-8.8
9-0 51-5.7
5-0 12-2.4
2-0 3-1.5
TOTAL 3-POINTERS
FG-FGA PCT FG-FGA PCT FT-FTA
77-170 .453 22-58 .379 2143
72-147 .490 1743 .395 2447
49-108 .454 18-54 .333 2040
45- 99 .455 0-0 .000 51-82
46- 127 .362 16-59 .271 26-35
52-107 .486 0-0 .000 15-33
37-77 .481 0-0 .000 11-26
13-39 .333 11-35 .314 5-6
2043 .465 18-37 .486 34
9-19 .474 0-0 .000 4-9
1940 .475 11-26 .423 14
4-15 .267 3-6 .500 5-6
1-2 .500 0-1 .000 34
0-3 .000 0-1 .000 0-0
REBOUNDS
PCT OFF-DEF TOT-AVG PF-FO
.488 24-34 58-3.2 25-0
.511 1146 57-3.2 38-0
.500 43-53 96-5.6 22- 0
.622 35-43 78-4.3 54-3
.743 11-41 52-2.9 38-0
.455 26-50 76-4.2 30-1
.423 37-48 85-4.7 40-2
.833 5-6 11-1.0 8-0
.750 1-8 9-0.5 2-0
.444 6-8 14-2.0 3-0
•250 6-7 134)7 26-0
.833 2-4 64)7 7-0
750 0-1 141.2 04)
.000 0-0 0-0.0 0-0
A TO BLK ST PTS AVG
23 22 10 10 197 10.9
63 48 12 58 185 10.3
17 25 2 21 136 8.0
3 34 12 6 141 7.8
88 55 4 24 134 7.4
13 26 21 16 119 6.6
6 29 9 8 85 4.7
4 10 0 2 42 3.8
8 3 0 3 61 3.6
0 3 0 0 22 3.1
0 10 14 0 50 2.8
8 8 0 2 16 1.8
2 1 0 2 5 1.0
0 0 0 0 0 0.0
Probable starting lineups
No. 20 VandacbOt (12-3,3-2 SEC)
F 32 Anthony Williams (62,235, Jr.. 9.4
ppg, 66 rpg), F 42 DanLaighi(6-ll,215,
Sr., 22.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg),C 52 GrqgLaPbinte
(6-10,235, Jr, 5.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg), G 5 At- •
iba Prater (6-1,180, Sr., 7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg),
G13 James Strong(6-3,195,Sr. 122 ppg.
4.3 rpg)
Scwth Carolina (9-9, MSEC)
F 14 Herbert Lee Davis (6-5,182 Sr,
)0.9 ppg, 32 rpg), F 33 Daniiai Kin
loch (6-7,215, So., 4.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg), C
12 Marius Petravidus (6-10,245, Fr„ 7.8
ppg, 4.3 rpg), G 5 Aaron Lucas (5-11,
170, So., 7.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg), G 31 Chuck
Eidson (6-7,198, Fr., 10.3 ppg, 32 rpg)
Head Coaches: Vanderbilt: Kevin
Stallings (123-63, 12-3 VU) USC Ed
die Fogler (244-174,102-94 USC)
TipofiE 7:30 p.m.
Location: Frank McGuire Arena
TV: None
Radio: WVOC-Columbia, 560 AM
Tickets: Still available
Series History
All-time record: Vmderbilt 13, USC 11
Last meeting: USC 69, Mmdetbilt 57 (1
30-99, Columbia)
First began: 1926\fcndeibilt31,U5C25
(in Atlanta)
At Columbia: USC 7, \hndeibilt 3
At Nashville: Vmdeibilt 9, USC 3
At neutral sites: USC 1, \hndertrilt 1
McAlexander wins second S.C.
Sportscaster of the Year award
by Shannon Rooke
Assistant Sports Editor
Charlie McAlexander, the play-by-play voice of the Game
cocks, has been chosen by the National Sportscasters and
Sportswriters Association as the 1999 Sportscaster of the Year
in South Carolina.
“This [award] is always a great honor,” McAlexander said.
‘It’s important because your peers are the ones that vote for you.”
McAlexander, more commonly known as Charlie “Mac,”
has been in the broadcasting business within the Southeastern
Conference for 28 years. He also hosts the Eddie Fogler and
|^)J^cott television shows and the “Carolina Calls” radio
ti^Rnow.
McAlexander, who is in his fifth year as the “Voice of
the Gamecocks,” receives the award for the second time in
South Carolina.
He has earned the honor seven times before in such
jstates as Mississippi (13)75), Tennessee (1990-J1), Kentucky
(1992-94), and South Carolina (1996).
McAlexander now joins Hall of Famer Ray Scott as the
only four-state winner in the history of the NSSA and he is the
first announcer in SEC history to win the award in four dif
ferent states.
“Even though we haven’t dominated in some of the ma
jor sports, I’ve always been a film believer in Gamecock sports,”
McAlexander said. “A game is a report, and you try to make
it an honest report and throw in some entertainment as well.”
After handling the play-by-play at Kentucky, Vanderbilt
and Ole Miss, McAlexander was a national president for the
NSSA and is a longtime member of the organization.
In 1995, he succeeded Gamecock announcer Bob Ful
ton. McAlexander was enthusiastic about returning for his
sixth season at USC.
McAlexander, a native of Holly Springs, Miss., is a grad
uate of Delta State University. He and his wife Betty now re
side in Columbia and haye two daughters, Emily (26) and
Carrie (22).
Barron crucial for USC football class
Charlie
Wallace
Senior Writer
In the recruiting wars, there are cer
tain players who programs will go to
great lengths to have.
Recruiters and coaches will do any
thing and everything in their power to
convince high school seniors why their
respected university is the place for them.
This recruiting season, USC football
has won some of these battles, but has
lost some of them, too, as certain missed
opportunities have turned into the prover
bal the “fish that got away.”
However, there are still a few
prize catches left in the recruiting lake.
And Carolina is very close to reeling in
a whale of a catch: a 6-8,298 lb. fish
by the name of Alex.
Less then an hour’s drive down 1-26
in Orangebuig County is the AAA high
school of Orangebuig-Wilkinson.
Over the years, the Bruins have sent
player after player into major college
programs while O-W has dominated its
competition.
Barron, who is rated as the No. 14
offensive lineman in the nation, and by
far the best in the state, would be the
, perfect end to a very impressive recruiting
season should he commit to the Game
cocks.
National signing day is February 2,
and Carolina already lias 23 of the max
imum 25 commitments.
Even though most recruits don’t of
ficially sign until the deadline, Caroli
na’s current catch of incoming freshmen
and junior-college prospects is amaz
ing considering their 1-21 record the past
two years.
Recruiting has been successful for
the Gamecocks, but it has not been easy,
and the taming of Barron may be USC’s
biggest obstacle yet.
“I had a pleasant visit to South
Carolina,” Barron said. “They didn’t
oversell the program but they are very
enthusiastic, especially Coach Holtz. I
am wide open.”
These comments were made last
week. However, over the weekend, Bar
ron was in Atlanta.
Wallace see page b2