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7 GAME SCHEDULE PONTAPT TTQ WOMEN’S TENNIS at Furman, 5 p.m. Wednesday I L O MEN’S BASKETBALL at Louisiana State, 8 p.m. Wednesday Story ideas9 Questions? Comments? WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Louisiana State, 7 p.m. Thursday E-mail us at gamecocksports@hotmail.com BASEBALL vs. Charleston Southern, 3 p.m. Friday Men drop third straight at home ML Kentucky $7 (16-3, 6-0 SEC) gg USC 69 I ES (7-10,1-6) by SHAWN ROURK THEfiAMECOCK For only the second time in sev en games, USC’s offense was on the same page. Even shooting over 50 percent from the field, howev er, wasn’t enough to knock off the No. 7 team in the nation. USC (7-10,1-6 SEC) extended its six-game losing streak Saturday as Kentucky (16-3,6-0) rolled over the Gamecocks 87-69 at the Carolina Center. “I thought we came out and shot very well, but I think Kentucky showed what a great team it is by not losing their poise ^ and composure,” USC head coach ™ Dave Odom said. “I thought we played some of our best basketball in the first eight or nine minutes of the game that we’ve played in quite a while,” Odom said. USC came out and shot well in the first five minutes of the game, however, Kentucky took the lead with 14:17 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. Their offen sive effort was lead by their big center Marquis Estill. The 6-foot-9 senior led all scorers with i8 Points on the afternoon. “I think what happened in that period of five minutes where the game was won by them and lost by us,” Odom said, “we did not take care of our defensive boards; they took care of their offensive boards. (^We did not dive on loose balls; they came up with each one. And the worst culprit of all was the four turnovers in five possessions that turned in baskets on the other end. “You go through that kind of a period and you have to be one heck of a team to survive it — and we didn’t. We’re not a heck of a team.” Chuck Hayes provided a little less than a fourth of the Wildcats’ 37 rebounds and had a double-dou ble, scoring 12 points as well. Four out of the five Kentucky starters had scored double digits, and Cliff Hawkins came off the bench to score 10. “But Kentucky, like all great teams, still beat you from five feet,” Odom said. “Everybody talks about their defense, but Kentucky is the best passing team in the league, particularly interi or passing. It just never stops. They tempt you outside, but they beat you from five feet.” After Carolina’s initial run, the Wildcats finished the half with a 34-10 run. The Gamecocks went into halftime down 57-32. “I thought early in the game, South Carolina did a good job at lav-lung wui pivoo auu gui mo vsmi of our press early. Once we set tled down and played better half court defense, we were able to get our composure and get some shots,” Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith said. Both teams had 13 turnovers on the night, with Kentucky taking more advantage and scoring 24 points off USC’s miscues. Like the Florida game, second-chance points were a huge problem for USC. Kentucky put back 24 points on 17 offensive rebounds. Carolina only had five points off second chance shots. USC senior Chuck Eidson led the Gamecocks in scoring and as sists with 17 and four, respective ly. Rolando Howell also had a good game as he threw down 15 points from the field and had four re bounds. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK Kerbrell Brown, center, tries to drive to the basket during the Gamecocks’ loss to Kentucky on Saturday. Brown finished with 15 points and four rebounds on the day. Softball wins battle of Carolinas BY MATT ROTHENBERG THE GAMECOCK ft It was a day of new beginnings at Beckham Field on Sunday, as the 20th-ranked USC softball team swept a doubleheader against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Not only was it the start of the 2003 season for both teams, but the Gamecocks’ freshmen came up big in their USC debuts. Some familiar faces also helped South Carolina (2-0) put up a pair of shutouts, winning 2-0 and 4-0 over the Heels (0-2). “I thought (our) pitching did a great job. I thought they did a su perb job to keep us in the game,” USC head coach Joyce Compton said. “I felt we were a little appre hensive, at first, offensively. I thought we came in and started Ro get some better at-bats as the game went on.” Game 1: USC 2 - UNC 0 Both UNC and USC had plenty of scoring chances early on in the ”game, but some solid pitching and defense quelled any threats by the baserunners. South Carolina’s first hit of the season from freshman catcher Ashley Smith soon turned into the season’s first run scored. Smith crossed home plate on Melissa Sandel’s double in the fourth inning, and the Gamecocks never looked back. Danielle Quinones’ two-run double in the fifth inning gave USC all the room it needed to keep North Carolina from mounting a serious comeback. Pitchers Stacey Johnson and Aleca Johnson combined for a five-hit shutout, as Stacey Johnson picked up her first win of 2003 and Aleca Johnson her first save. Smith was quite involved in her first collegiate game. She took part in two plays at home plate in the first game: one as she scored and the other, taking a throw from center field to nail UNC’s Emily Price at the plate. Smith also helped catch a runner at tempting to steal second base. “It was a lot of fun. I felt confi dent because we’ve been practic ing so well the past few weeks,” Smith said about her opening day. “Our defense played great and ev erything flowed really well. I didn’t really have that many jit ters (except) in the very begin ning. But after the first pitch, I was fine. It felt like any other game; I just had to play as hard as I could.” Price and Tiffany Tolleson each picked up two hits apiece for the Tar Heels, and pitcher Crystal Cox took the loss. Game 2: USC 4-UNCO Shortstop Amber Curtis led the way with a 3-for-4 game at the plate, as freshman Melanie Henkes hurled her first collegiate complete-game shutout. North Carolina pressured USC late in the game, but a stingy Gamecock defense pre vented any hopes of a Tar Heel comeback. USC second baseman Debralee Troesh drove Curtis in for the first run of the game in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Curtis then knocked in Nancy Crane for the Gamecocks’ second score. Troesh closed out the scoring in the fifth inning with a two-run home run. But Henkes took much of the spotlight, with a five-hit, four-strikeout performance that didn’t amaze just the Tar Heels, but herself as well. “I was just as surprised as any body else,” Henkes said. “Having a really good defense behind me, and a very supportive team, al ways helps — it was a team ef fort.” Henkes also described the sup port teammate Stacey Johnson gave her. Johnson “told me which batters hit where, and she really helped me out a lot,” Henkes said. But the freshman knew that “nobody likes the first inning, so once you get over that, you’re good to go.” Compton was impressed with the performance of her new play ers Sunday. “I think they both played very well,” she said. “I think Ashley (Smith) did a great job in the first game, and Melanie obvi PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK Stacey Johnson throws a pitch in the first game of USC’s Sunday doubleheader against North Carolina. The Gamecocks defeated the Tar Heels In both games, winning 2-0 and 4-0. ously did a great job in the sec ond game.” The Gamecocks will spend this week in practice before getting several tests this weekend in the annual Carolina Invitational tournament. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com _ BRIEFLY Women defeat Kentucky 49-46 Kelly Morrone hit two free throws with 14.6 seconds left as No. 16 South Carolina beat Kentucky 49-46 on Sunday. The Wildcats (9-9, 2-4 SEC) had a chance to send the game into overtime, but SeSe Helm missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, as the Gamecocks won their secdhd in a row. Kentucky trailed by 11 with 16:48 left, but rallied and pulled to 47-46 on a Rita Adams 3 pointer. The Gamecocks (16-4, 4-3), shot just 26 percent from the field (14-of-54), but knocked down six 3-pointers and forced Kentucky into 23 turnovers. Morrone hit three 3-pointers and tied teammate Christina Ciocan for high-scoring honors with 13 points. Adams led Kentucky with 14 points, while Helm had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Tennis team opens season strong The No. 22-ranked USC men’s tennis team opened the 2003 season with victories over Winthrop and College of Charleston on Saturday. The Gamecocks shut out Winthrop 7-0 to open the day. In doubles, all three USC pairs claimed victories. Carolina also swept singles play. In the afternoon contest, the Gamecocks had two more dou bles victories for their second win of the day. After taking the early 1-0 lead, Carolina also used singles victories from Seth Rose, Angelo Niculescu, Marcus Westman, Geraldo Knorr and Tom Eklund to win 6-1. Lekote wins 800 at Boston Indoors USC track-and-field stand out Otukile Lekote won his fourth-consecutive 800-meter run as he ran 1:48.07 to claim the title at the Boston Indoor Games Saturday. The Botswana native won the race by .03 of a second over USA’s Derek Peterson (1:48.10). Entering the competition, Lekote, who earned this week’s SEC Athlete of the Week honor, held the fastest time in the world in this event. Lekote hasn’t lost an 800 race this season. Legend should seethe spotlight BRAD SENKIW *GAMECOCKSPORTS®HOTMAIL.COM Jordan should accept offer for All-Star spot. Did I hear correctly that Michael Jordan turned down a starting spot in the NBA’s All-Star game? Hello, Mike; have you lost your mind? Orlando Magic guard Tracy McGrady and Philadelphia guard Allen Iverson each offered Jordan a chance to end his All-Star game career by starting in their places. Jordan announced that in no way does he want to take the spotlight from them. Is Jordan really Jordan through with be ing the center of the basketball universe? It’s hard to believe the greatest human to ever touch a basketball would give up starting in what is going to be his last All-Star game performance, or at least we think it is. I hate to tell you this Mike, but you are crazy. Please start so maybe for once in the last 10 years, All-Star weekend will mean some thing. I think it took a lot for McGrady and Iverson to give up their spots in what has become a self-centered sports world. Jordan should thank them and have his name called in the starting line-up on Sunday. In a world where athletes be come more pampered and stub born, it would be nice to see the ink as poster Doy tor trouDie, Iverson, step down to let Mike start. I’m sick of people always picking on the NBA, saying the new generation of players don’t respect the history of the game. Finally, players are taking a stand and saying that someone else is more im portant than them selves. As far as Vince Carter’s saying he never considered giving up his posi tion because it Carter would be rude to the fans, since when did fans start mattering? Sorry, Vince; I can’t think of one fan on Earth who would rather see you limping around rather than see possibly the greatest athlete in the world start in the league’s biggest exhi bition game. Jordan needs to realize this is not some new idea. Doug Collins, Jordan’s coach, let Celtic great John Havliceck take his position in 1978. Even Jordan’s close friend and former Laker, Magic Johnson, accepted Tim Hardaway’s offer to start in 1992. I can’t believe a three-time All Star-game MVP would not see that this is good for the game. Jordan would not be helping him self; he would be doing the league a favor. The world needs to see players remembering the man that helped pave the way for their success. This has nothing to do with who was or wasn’t voted into the starting lineup and ev erything to do with the history of the NBA. .joraan is trying to snow tnat the torch has been passed and that seems admirable. But how nice would it be to think of Iverson as the guy who gave up a starting po sition to Jordan rather than the gun-toting thug who doesn’t like to practice. Jordan said himself that he would have stepped aside for Julius Erving, so why can’t he just let McGrady or Iverson be like Mike? Senkiw is a third-year print journalism student.