The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 08, 2002, Page 8, Image 8
Arkansas
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
face him is a full-time job. It will
be a challenge for our defense.”
If USC has to go to the air, this
is the team to try it against. The
Razorbacks are giving up a league
high 251 passing yards a game,
though they do lead the country in
takeaways, averaging 1.88
turnovers a game.
“We are going to have to throw
the ball, because obviously with
their rush defense, it’s going to be
very difficult to run,” Holtz said.
Last year, the Razorbacks
blocked a late field goal to knock
off the Gamecocks 10-7, and Holtz
feels it will be another daunting
task against Arkansas.
“They are just a good solid foot
ball team, and we are going to
have to play very well,” he said.
Kickoff for the game is sched
uled for 12:30 p.m., and the game
will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot
Sports.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
AROUND THE SEC
Vols try to salvage season vs. Miami
LJ T
No. 2 Miami
at Tennessee
3:30 p.m. Saturday
Neyland Stadium
TV: CBS
KNOXVILLE, TENN. (AP) - The
Tennessee Volunteers aren’t play
ing as well as coach Phillip
Fulmer thinks they can. But he’s
seen some improvement.
That’s a good thing for the
Vols, who play No. 2 Miami on
Saturday.
It s not all that we wanted but
much better offensively,” Fulmer
said Tuesday at his weekly news
conference. “We’re really going
to have to do it again — close
ranks as a team as we prepare for
Miami.”
Tennessee (5-3) lost to Georgia
and Alabama last month and has
looked so bad that not even an 18
10 victory over South Carolina 18
10 in Columbia last weekend
could keep them in the Top 25.
But the offense played better
even without injured receiver
Kelley Washington.
Tennessee’s disappointing sea
son has dampened some of the ex
citement for the teams’ first
match-up since the Vols’ 35-7 vic
tory in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. The
Hurricanes (8-0) have won 30
straight games, tne nation :
longest winning streak.
Many hoped Tennessee alsc
would be undefeated going intc
this game to give the winner a bij
boost for the national title, bu
now only Miami has the most t(
lose.
“I think this team is very ex
cited about the opportunity thej
have in front of them,” Fulmei
said. “Obviously like all of us w«
don’t feel like we’ve reached oui
potential this year for whatevei
reason.”
Injuries continue to plague th<
Vols entering Saturday’s home
coming game.
Washington is listed as out foi
the third straight game, while of
fensive tackle Michael Munoz has
been hospitalized with an infec
non m ms aniue. Munoz, wno al
ready has a hurt shoulder and
broken hand, is listed as ques
tionable.
The good news was the return
of tailback Cedric Houston, who
helped the running game with 30
carries for 108 yards despite a cast
protecting the left thumb he need
ed surgery for to repair tom lig
aments.
Tailback Jabari Davis, who
started against South Carolina, is
questionable against Miami with
a sternum injury.
Fulmer gave most of the credit
to Houston for one of the Vols’
better rushing games and to an
offensive line that improved its
blocking.
“I think it was a step in the
right direction from the stand
point of the line doing a better job
and him making them look good
at times when things weren’t
blocked perfectly,” Fulmer said.
“Can we be better than we were
Saturday? Yes. Him and them.”
Without Washington in the line
up, some of the lesser-known re
ceivers got a chance as they made
fewer mistakes and helped ease
pressure on tight end Jason
Witten. Sophomore Montrell Jones
had four catches for 69 yards, and
freshman C. J. Fayton caught his
first career touchdown pass.
“I think the receivers have
been really slow to develop this
season overall. They’re coming
right now the best they have all
season,” Fulmer said. "I’m anx
ious to see them get to the point
where every play that we’re out
there, we’re a threat.”
Quarterback Casey Clausen is
coming off one of his best games
while enduring soreness in his
shoulder, foot and ankle. He rolled
his foot and ankle during the game
but was still able to run for a 5
yard touchdown in the fourth
quarter to put the game away.
♦ FOR MORE PREVIEWS FROM
GAMES AROUND THE SEC, VISIT
WWW.DAILYGAMECOCK.COM.
SPORTS CHALLENGE
THE CHALLENGE: Kyle Matt Chris Mary David Michael
The Gamecock’s readers and Almond Rothenberg Foy Hartney Stagg Marozas
staff test their sports knowledge Sports Asst. Sports Defending Editor in Page Reader of
with predictions of the Editor Editor Champion Chief designer the Week
weekend's games. (Rankings (59-41) (63-37) (57-43) (60-40) (58-42) (58-42)
are from the Associated Press.)
2 Miami at Tennessee Miami Miami Miami Miami Miami Miami
Ole Miss at 7 GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Georgia Georgia Georgia Georgia
16 LSU at KentuckyKentucky LSU LSU LSU LSUKentucky
21 Iowa St. at 12 Kansas St. Iowa St. Kansas St. Kansas St. Kansas St. Kansas St. Kansas St.
15 Oregon at 5 Washington St. Oregon Wash. St. Oregon Oregon_Wash. St. Wash. St.
14 N.C. State at Maryland_Maryland N.C. State Maryland Maryland N.C. State Maryland
20 Bowling Green at N. Illinois B. Green B. Green B. Green B. Green B. Green N. Illinois
Louisiana Tech at San Jose St. La. Tech La. Tech La. Tech San Jose San Jose San Jose
Clemson at North CarolinaClemson Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson UNC
Arkansas at USC USC Arkansas USC USC USC USC
21-20 23-21 20-17 21-14 24-21 14-12
LAST wttK S wiNNtK: Kyle Aimona (Z-Z) - uon t count out tne sports eaitor just yet. Kignt as it looxea iiKe ne
was out of the competition, he responded with a solid week aided by wins from Florida and Central Michigan.
Almond gained two games on his assistant, Rothenberg, who still leads overall after going 6-4. Hartney, Foy
and staffer of the week Karen Vaught also went 6-4. Coming in second place this week with an exceptional
effort was reader Jordy 'The Turtle” McKever, who went 7-3. McKever also chose Florida to upset Georgia.
WANT TO BE READER OF THE WEEK? E-mail your selections nextweektogamecocksports@hotmail.com. If
you’re picked and have the best record, you’ll win a free Gamecock T-shirt and be able to talk all the trash you
want
_ |\ If you are ready for a RFAL Tailgate Party, then come on by! /
jj the final Great Gamecock:
pMlK 1*2002^1
November 9 (USC vs. ARKANSAS) 10:00 am-12:00 pm K l 1
featuring live music by: The Blue Dogs |UI I
// Seawell's Parking Lot - 1125 Rosewood Drive ypHj
// across the street from "the ROCKET" at the State Fairgrounds. T I I
// The best part is that it is all FREE: Music, Lots of Great Food, Drinks k Door Prizes. /
/^-^ST7 Souvenirs for the first 200 ISC students in attendance at each Tailgate Party. /
// THESE TAILGATE PARTIES ARE AN ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUG-FREE ENVIRONMENT sponsored by the Russell House Alcohol & Drug Programs. \\ III
J J Major funding provided by a grant received faro the U5. Department of Education Safe & Drug-Free School* Program.- The Prevention of High-Risk Drinking & Violent Behavior Among College Students Project. i
i i Actual dates or times may change due to funding or programmatic decisions. For additional information, please call 777-7130. / lL If
M M _ Department of Student Life Division of Student & Alumni Servic es / / / \ \
BRIEFLY
USC only 1 win away
from 2 milestones
The 18th-ranked USC volley
ball team (19-4,12-1 SEC) takes to
the road for the remainder of the
regular season, first traveling to
Knoxville to face the Tennessee
Lady Volunteers on Friday.
USC head coach Kim Christo
pher is just one win away from
claiming her 200th victory at
Carolina. In her _
lutn season, wiui
a 199-97 record at
Carolina, the
Amarillo, Texas,
native would be
come the first
coach to reach
in
Carolina volley- Christopher
ball history.
The Gamecocks are also push
ing for their best SEC record in
school history. The most wins
Carolina has in SEC play is 12, a
mark set in 2000. USC has that
many wins right now and still has
three more matches left in the reg
ular season.
Tennessee (17-8,6-6 SEC) fell
to the Gamecocks in five games
earlier this season. The match
is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Women’s basketball
to play exhibition
The USC women’s basketball
team gets their first action of the
new season Friday at 7 p.m. with
an exhibition contest against
Athletes in Action.
The Gamecocks will host two
exhibition games in the Carolina
Coliseum before opening up the
regular season in the new
Carolina Center on Nov. 22.
With three starters and four
other letterwinners from last
year’s Elite Eight team return
ing, the Gamecocks enter the
season seeking a return trip to
the NCAA Tournament.
Men’s soccer to visit
defending champs
The USC men’s soccer team
heads to Chapel Hill, N.C., on
Friday to face No. 20 North
Carolina (12-5-1) — the defend
ing national champions.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Following USC’s match in
Chapel Hill, the Gamecocks (10
6-1) will wrap up their regular
season at home against Florida
International on Nov. 17 at 2
p.m.
Clemson swim team
to test Gamecocks
Carolina’s swimming and div
ing teams are 2-0 at home this sea
son (2-1 overall), and after defeat
ing Kentucky this past week,
they hope to continue that suc
cess Friday against rival
Clemson.
The annual rivalry meet is
scheduled to start at 5 p.m. in the
Carolina Natatorium.
Free Gamecock T-shirts will
be given out at the meet, and
fans will also have a chance to
meet and take pictures with
Cocky, who will make an aquat
ic appearance. Admission is
free.
Season almost over *
for tennis players
Six USC women’s tennis play
ers will head Friday to the 2002
SEC Coaches Tournament in
Atlanta.
The tournament will feature
Gamecocks Ayako Suzuki,
Danielle Wiggins, Jodi Kenoyer,
Catherine Brown, Audrey
George and Magda Wojdylo.
The conclusion of this tourna
ment will wrap up fall play for
Carolina. The Gamecocks will re
sume play Jan. 29 at home against
the College of Charleston.
Rothenberg
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
Tennessee, Arkansas, and Ole
Miss are fighting it out for the
right to not be watching bowl
games from their living rooms in
December.
The Volunteers, with a soft
schedule left, are almost guaran
teed a spot, barring a total col
lapse. Ole Miss and the
Razorbacks need at least two more
SEC wins themselves.
But USC probably has to win
out — in other words, beat
Arkansas, Florida and Clemson
or at least win two out of three to
assure itself a bowl game. The sad
thing is, it wouldn’t have had to
come to this if the Gamecocks had
taken care of business earlier this
season.
Either Corey Jenkins or
Dondrial Pinkins has to step up
and rediscover his passing abili
ty. Receivers need to get to the ball
better and make sure they have a
handle on the pass. The rush de
fense has to make the stops on a
consistent basis, especially in
third-down situations.
Carolina is staring at a bowl
less offseason and must come up
big in these last three weeks. Even
if USC can’t beat Florida, it should
at least come away with victories
against the Hogs and the Tigers.
In a competitive conference, such
as the SEC, finishing with a 6-6
record might not be enough.
That said, there is always the op
portunity to be an at-large recipi
ent of a bowl bid elsewhere. Playing
on a blue field in Boise, Idaho,
might not appeal to everyone, but
it is better than no bowl at all.
Time hasn’t run out on the
Gamecocks. The team just con
trols its own destiny, that’s all.
SEC Football
Standings
EASTERN CONF. OVERALL
Georgia_5-1 8-1
Florida4-26-3
use 3-3 5-4
Kentucky* 2-36-3
Tennessee2-35-3
Vanderbilt 0-5 2-7
WESTERN CONF. OVERALL
Alabama* 4-1_7-2
LSU3-1 _6-2
Auburn4-26-3
Arkansas 2-35-3
Ole Miss 2-3 5-4
Mississippi St. 0-4 3-5
* - not eligible for postseason
Does that suggest we could be
playing in the Independence Bowl
in Shreveport? Yes, it does. But it
also means USC could find itself
in a more preferable position, like
the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The last couple of seasons, the
team has run off to quick starts.
This time, it has stumbled early
and often.
To play in the postseason,
you’ve got to earn it. And there’s
no better time to start than now.
Rothenberg is a fourth-year sport
management student. His column
appears every Friday in
Gamecock Sports.
Basketball
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
game as well for the Gamecocks,
scoring 10 points and bringing
down 11 rebounds. He also blocked
two shots, showing that, in spite
of his weight troubles in the pre
season, he is in top form and
ready for the long haul.
Team Nike, despite 18 points
from Florida State graduate
Terrell Baker and 10 points each
from David Graves and Darrell
Kelly, played sloppily on offense
and defense. The team, a hodge
podge of former Division I-A play
ers, was limited to a 34.6 percent
shooting percentage in the second
half. USC forced them into 14
turnovers as well, which resulted
in 34 points.
The guard situation for the
Gamecock is taking shape, too.
Michael Boynton received the
start at point guard, while Eidson
switched between the two guard
positions all night. Freshmen
Jarod Gerald and Tarence Kinsey
also played significant minutes in
the Carolina backcourt.
Odom still thinks that this is
just the beginning of his team’s
progress, noting that it is not the
team it needs to be, especially on
the defensive side of the ball.
“It was a good night for us and
we still have a lot to improve
upon,” Odom said. “Defensively,
we’re not where we need to be, but
I think we can get there once we
get Ro (Howell) back to fortify our
inside game.
“But, overall, I thought we did
well.”
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