The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 05, 2003, Page 10, Image 10
10 THE GAMECOCK ♦ Wednesday, February 5, 2003
GAME SCHEDULE
rrWFAPT TTQ WOMEN’S TENNIS at Furman, 5 p.m. Wednesday
VjU\kJ 1 U O MEN’S BASKETBALL at Louisiana State, 8 p.m. Wednesday
Story ideas? 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
USC to meet LSU in big game
Carolina needs to upset the Tigers
to extend its SEC winning streak
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THIS (lAMBCOCK
In the midst of midseason
struggles, one of the worst possi
ble things that could happen to a
team is facing one of the hottest
teams in the nation.
Unfortunately for the 16th
ranked USC women’s basketball
team (16-4, 4-3 SEC), the
Gamecocks will face that task
Thursday against the fourth
ranked LSU Tigers (18-1, 6-1) at
the Carolina Center.
LSU’s only defeat was a 10
point loss against Arkansas in
Fayetteville, Ark. Just two-and
a-half weeks ago, the Tigers de
molished Kentucky 82-39.
Sunday, the Gamecocks
squeaked by the Wildcats by a
mere three points.
A talented trio of Aiysha
Smith, DeTrina White and SEC
player of the week Seimone
Augustus leads the Tigers.
Augustus is a 6-foot-l-inch
freshman shooting guard who
will present matchup problems
all over the court for the
Gamecocks. Augustus can go in
side or outside and is a slashing
player in the Tracy McGrady
mold. She will likely be matched
up against 5-foot-ll-inch guard
Cristina Ciocan or 6-foot forward
Jocelyn Penn.
Smith, a 6-foot-2-inch center,
is a bruiser and will try to bury
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fense and get easy points. Her
only flaw is her lack of rebound
ing ability. Smith averages only
5.5 rebounds per game, which is
less than most players her size.
She should match up well
against Petra Ujhelyi, USC’s cen
ter.
White can fend for herself
against the biggest of competi
tors. She’s a 5-foot-l 1-inch pow
er forward and averages near
ly three more rebounds per
game than Smith does. She is a
double-double threat in every
game.
Her offense isn’t flashy, but
she will pound away and work
hard to get layups whenever
she can. White will more than
likely be matched up against
Penn.
Penn will look to rebound from
her worst performance of the
year. She scored a meager six
points and recorded only two re
bounds, both season lows.
She ended the game with a 1
for-8 shooting performance in 37
minutes of playing time, and her
points-per-game average fell from
26.6 to 25.6. Going into the
Kentucky game, Penn was second
in the nation in scoring and lead
ing the SEC.
Penn is currently in fifth
place on Carolina’s all-time scor
ing list with 1,734 points. At her
current rate, she will break the
USC single-season record for
points per game and most points
in a season. She will look to get
back on her scoring track
Thursday.
Another key to Carolina’s suc
cess will be the play of Ujhelyi.
She leads the SEC in rebounding
with an outstanding average of
9.1 rebounds per game. She also
averages 1.5 blocks per game, and
her inside defensive presence will
be needed to defend LSU’s inside
threats.
One of Carolina’s biggest ques
tion marks this season has been
its depth on the bench. Because
LSU runs a 10-woman rotation,
bench play will be vital in this
matchup.
In the past four games, the USC
bench has scored only 29 points
combined. LSU far surpasses that
number; it averages 31.8 points
per game.
USC’s production from its re
serves could be a key factor in the
game.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. tomor
row at the Carolina Center, and
students are admitted free with
their student ID.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK
Cristina Clocan, front, makes an inbound pass to Kelly Morrone, far right, against Florida. The
16th-ranked Gamecocks will face fourth-ranked Louisiana State on Thursday night at the
Carolina Center. USC hopes to go above .500 with a win against the Tigers.
Carolina faces Tigers in the bayou
Gamecocks and Louisiana State battle each other to
climb out of the Southeastern Conference basement
BY SHAWN ROURK
THE GAMECOCK
In the post-game news confer
ence after his team’s loss to
Kentucky, USC head men’s bas
ketball coach Dave Odom vowed
that there would come a day when
USC would be able to stand up and
play against any team. Now,
Odom and company hope that to
day, when the Gamecocks will
face off against Louisiana State
University, will be that day.
The Gamecocks (7-10,1-6 SEC)
and the LSU Tigers (12-7,1-6) are
both at the bottom of the SEC
standings in their respective divi
sions. Both teams are looking to
put an end to their recent losing
streaks, with USC’s run at five
games and LSU having dropped
six in a row. A deciding factor
could be USC’s inability to win on
the road; Carolina is 0-7 playing in
the other team’s house this season.
“Our situation right now is cer
tainly not good,” Odom said.
“We’re going down to Baton
Rouge, and you’ve got two teams
who are similar in that we are
both desperate for a win. LSU has
an advantage because they are at
home, but that is something that
we have to overcome.”
USC will turn to its 6-foot-7-inch
senior Chuck Eidson to have an
other big scoring game. During
the past three games, he has
scored in double digits and is lead
ing the team in points and steals.
“He’s really come along as a
leader and as a player. I’m very,
very proud of him,” Odom said.
USC might also decide to work
with more of its younger players,
including Tarence Kinsey and
John Chappell, who is coming off
what Odom calls one of his best
games against Kentucky.
Chappell has had “some really
good practices,” Odom said. “So
we’re going to push him along and
see where that leads us.”
LSU is going into the game after
a 75-66 bashing by Alabama on the
road. A major boost for the team
will be the return of center/for
ward Jaime Lloreda from a one
game suspension. Lloreda might
be the boost LSU needs to get its of
fense going again. The 6-foot-9-inch
junior is shooting 58.5 percent from
the field this season and is averag
ing 8.3 rebounds a game.
LSU’s defense, however, has
had a few sloppy games against
Florida and, most recently,
Alabama.
LSU head coach John Brady
said: “The next couple of days,
we’re going to work on our defen
sive transition and rebounding,
and that’s all we’re going to work
on. We need to do everything we
can do to make sure our team is in
the right state to play Wednesday.”
LSU’s recent defensive effort
might open the door for Carolina’s
blossoming offense to have a big
game. USC shot xmore than 50 per
cent as a team for the first time in
a few games, and it seems like
players are getting on the same
page. But Odom still knows LSU
can put up a fight in the bayou.
“They’ve lost a couple tough
games,” Odom said. “They’ve re
ally got a good nucleus. LSU is go
ing to be one of those teams that,
as we get into the second half and
get closer to the SEC Tournament,
that are going to be dangerous.”
Tonight’s game will be on
Jefferson-Pilot Sports, and tip-off
is at 8 p.m.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@hotmail.com
PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK
Marcus Morrison and his Carolina teammates hope to record
their first road win of the season tonight In Baton Rouge.
CLUB CORNER
Cycling Club
The Cycling Club will meet
Sunday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the
Horseshoe Reading Room locat
ed in Pinckney-Legare adjacent
to the North Area Campus
Housing Office.
For more information about
weekly rides and races please
visit www.geocities.com/car
olinamultisport. You may e-mail
the club at carolinamulti
sport@yahoo.com.
Bodybuilding and
Fitness Club
The Bodybuilding and
Fitness Club will play host to the
24th annual Mr. and Ms. USC
contest April 12.
Entry forms and information
are available from Bodybuilding
and Fitness Club members.
There are also criteria and en
try forms in the brochure rack
in the front lobby of the Blatt
P.E. Center.
For students considering en
tering or needing guidance with
preparing to enter in fitness,
physique or bodybuilding, the
Bodybuilding and Fitness Club
will offer help sessions Feb. 10
and 17, at 7:30 p.m. in room 137
(basement weight gym) of the
Blatt P.E. Center.
Men’s Lacrosse
The Carolina Men’s Lacrosse
team took a trip to Alabama on
Saturday and managed to win
15-7, despite the fact that they
only had one substitute player
most of the game.
Prior obligations left several
key players in Columbia, forc
ing several others to step up.
Junior John Cosgrove led the
Gamecocks in scoring with five
goals, and sophomore Ryan
Bruce led an undermanned de
fense.
Freshman Pierre Bigby had a
fine game in goal as a rookie in
his first official start. The team
will have three practices per
week, . on Mondays and
Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and
on Tuesdays from 9 p.m. to 11
p.m.
Anyone who is interested is
encouraged to come to a prac
tice. Cocks Lacrosse will travel
to Georgia on Saturday at 7 p.m.
to play in a game that could
have championship implica
tions.
Ice Hockey Club
The USC Ice Hockey Club suf
fered two losses this weekend
against Kennesaw State
University. USC lost Saturday’s
game 106 and Sunday’s game 5-2.
The next Ice Hockey Club
game will be against Clemson
on Saturday at the Bi-Lo Center
in Greenville after the
Greenville Grrrowl game.
To attend the game, tickets
must be purchased for the
Grrrowl game that will take
place right before the USC and
Clemson game.
For tickets or information on
the Ice Hockey Club, e-mail
uschockeyclub@yahoo.com.
College baseball
rising in popularity
BY DENNIS WASZAK JR.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tony Gwynn used to dream
about playing in the College
World Series as a San Diego
State outfielder. Now, he’s got
his sights set on leading the
Aztecs to college baseball’s
promised land as their coach.
“Going to the College World
Series gives you and your pro
gram credibility,” said the for
mer eight-time National
League batting champion and
probable future Hall of Famer.
“As college coaches, it’s what
we all want to achieve for our
programs — getting to
Omaha.”
With a Division I-record 285
schools fielding baseball teams
this season, getting there might
be as daunting a task as ever
before.
“The College WorlijSeries is
the ultimate,” Georgia Tech
coach Danny Hall said. “It’s the
Super Bowl, the Final Four, a
college bowl game. It’s what
you work hard daily for, to try
to get to that level where you’re
putting your team and your
game against the very best in
college baseball.”
And that’s what Gwynn is
determined to accomplish at a
school that has never made it
to Omaha. Gwynn, who’s
coaching at the stadium that
bears his name, returned to
San Diego State last season as a
volunteer assistant after end
ing a 20-year major league ca
reer. He took over this year for
the retired Jim Dietz, who
coached him and his brother
Chris — as well as Tony’s son,
Anthony, the Aztecs’ star out
fielder.
Gwynn certainly picked an
exciting time to get reac
4
♦ GWYNN, SEE PAGE 11
Tar Heels,
Duke to
resume
old rivalry
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - The
build up to college basketball’s
biggest rivalry has taken a beat
ing the last two weeks.
North Carolina-Duke was a Top
Ten matchup seven times over a
four-year period between 1997 and
2001. Both clubs head into
Wednesday night’s game scuffling.
The Tar Heels have lost four
straight, while No. 9 Duke has
dropped three of five. It’s the first
time since March 1995 both teams
are coming into the rivalry game
off losses.
A win by either team is urgent
— rivalry or no rivalry.
“This is a huge game for us,”
Blue Devils coach Mike
Krzyzewski said Tuesday. “I re
spect the fact that we’ve had amaz
ing games in the history of the two
programs, and it’s a storied game,
I am not diminishing that, but no
matter who we play we would
want to play really well in this
game. I can’t get caught up in do
ing it once, otherwise you don’t
tirin nhomninnchinc ”
The Blue Devils (14-3,4-3) have
won a record four straight ACC
tournament titles, but trail
Maryland, North Carolina State
and Wake Forest in the regular
season standings nearing the
halfway point of league play.
Meanwhile, the Tar Heels (11-9,
2-5) are riding a season-high los
ing streak and have beaten Duke
just once in the last 11 meetings.
“A win is the most important
thing right now to get us in posi
tion for the (NCAA) tournament,”
said Rashad McCants, North
Carolina’s leading scorer.
North Carolina is 4-6 since los
ing starting center Sean May with
a broken foot on Dec. 27.
“Our margin of error has
dropped since we lost Sean,” Tar
Heels coach Matt Doherty said.
“We don’t have as much rebound
ing inside and we don’t have much
scoring inside. So we can’t make
many mistakes. We’ve all got to be
on the same page to give us a
chance.”
This is a key game for Duke
point guard Chris Duhon. The
ACC preseason player of the year
and a starter on Duke’s 2001 na
tional title team has played poorly
over the last month, scoring in
double figures in one of his last 12
games.
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no question about that,”
Krzyzewski said. “Just look at his
stats. We have to help him to play
well. I just think we can take a big
jump as a team if we could get him
to play better.
“Our defense starts with the
ability to pressure the basketball
and the periods where Chris has
done that well we’ve played out
standing. When he’s not control
ling the other guard with bail pres
sure it breaks you down.”
Despite recent defensive break
downs, Krzyzewski has refused to
go with a zone or other defenses.
“Those are compensating
things. That’s not what we do,” he
said. “If you don’t have the abili
ty to do it then you go to some
thing different. But let’s teach, let’s
work and let’s make this happen.
That’s what we’re going to do.”
Duhon and the Duke defense
will get a test from Raymond
Felton, North Carolina’s quick
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“He’s terrific,” Krzyzewski said
of Felton. “He makes everybody
on their team better and he does it
two ways on offense. I’m very im
pressed with him and his ability
to do things right away as a fresh
man.” .
Felton will be one of eight
freshmen that will likely see sig
nificant time for both teams, an
other change from previous games
that provided a glimpse of such
stars as Shane Battier, Jason
Williams, Vince Carter and
Antawn Jamison.
“There is still a lot of talent on
the court,” Krzyzewski said. “The
talent level and the intensity will
be high, but we’re both very much
developing teams.
“All I know is Carolina’s kids
are playing really hard. They’re
playing their butts off. We’ve got
to make sure we match that ef
fort.”