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GAME SCHEDULE pa__ 1•> BASEBALL vs. Wofford, 6 p.m. Wednesday „ MEN’S BASKETBALL at Vanderbilt, 8 p.m. Wednesday Wednesday, March 2, 2005 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL at SEC Tournament, Thursday-Sunday Vanderbilt awaits struggling Carolina By MATTHEW NAGY THE GAMECOCK Seeking their sixth straight win in Nashville, the Gamecocks will travel to Vanderbilt for a Wednesday night clash with the Commodores. Carolina is also looking to snap out of its recent funk, losing three straight contests after a landmark win against Kentucky. The Commodores 17-11 (7-7 SEC) have taken over third place in the SEC East because of the recent struggles of the USC men’s basketball team, who now stands at 14-11 (6-8 SEC) on the season. The Commodores, however, appear a welcome sight on the Gamecocks’ horizon at a point where coach Dave Odom’s squad needs one more win to become eligible for NIT play. The Gamecocks have won the past eight meetings in the series, including five straight on the road. Vanderbilt is the only SEC team that has not defeated Odom since he began coaching at USC in the 2001-02 season. Carolina has won 14 of the last 17 contests against the Commodores, and Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings is only 2-8 against the Gamecocks. Earlier this season, USC successfully rallied from an 11 point deficit in the second half to send Vanderbilt home with a loss. Paramount to the Gamecocks’ success in the game was sophomore forward Renaldo Balkman, who had 15 points and 9 rebounds in the contest. It was not the first time that Balkman had been the center of attention against Vanderbilt. Last season, in Nashville, he was involved in an on-the-court incident with Commodore senior forward Corey Smith. Smith attacked Balkman after what he perceived to be dirty play by the Gamecock forward in the first half. Both players were ejected and subsequently suspended for one SEC contest each as a result of the altercation. But the Gamecocks were able to win the game in the final 30 seconds, as Kebrell Brown tipped in a Josh Gonner miss to give the Gamecocks a two-point victory. The controversy between USC and Vanderbilt did not end there; as Stallings suggested, there would be retribution in the second contest of the season because of the perceived dirty play by Balkman. While Stallings later apologized, his team was unable to top the Gamecocks in the second contest, as a rain of USC three-pointers and a hail of boos directed at Smith led Carolina to an 82-75 victory to complete the sweep. While tempers between the two teams have cooled, the Gamecocks can expect an extremely hostile Memorial Gym for the Wednesday evening match up. In order for Carolina to escape the city with yet another victory, it will rely on senior forward Carlos Powell, fresh off his fifth double-double of the season, on Sunday. In what may have been his final home game in front of a full student section at the Colonial Center, Powell had 18 points and 13 rebounds while continuing his strong senior campaign. Powell is in the top ten in three categories in the SEC. Powell is eighth in scoring (15 points per game), ninth in rebounds per game (6.6 per game) and seventh in defensive rebounds per game (4.64). Along with Powell, the Gamecocks can look to the reinvigorated junior center Antoine Tisby, who has seemed inspired since his coming out party against Kentucky Feb 15. Since the victory over the Wildcats, Tisby has averaged 12 ppints per game, along with 6 rebounds and 2.25 blocks per game. He had career highs in points (18) and rebounds (8) in a losing effort against Tennessee. Tisby also recorded a team season-high of four blocks against Alabama. With the increased post play lately, Carolina has seen its guards fall into a slump. Sophomore guard Tre’ Kelley looks to have snapped out of that funk with 17 points against the Gators on Sunday. Kelley is the team’s second leading scorer, is tenth in the SEC in assists per game and has also provided steady leadership at the point guard position. He will need to stay hot from the outside again on Wednesday in order to create space in the paint for Powell, Tisby and Balkman. Carolina must pair the emergence of Tisby with solid guard play by Kelley and junior Tarence Kinsey to continue its traditional dominance over the Commodores on Wednesday night. Tip-off is 8 p.m., and there is no live TV coverage. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK Junior forward Antoine Tisby dunks on top of Florida senior forward David Lee. Tisby has emerged as an inside presence lately, scoring a career-high 18 points in Carolina’s recent loss to Tennessee. KYLE PARKER/THE GAMECOCK Sophomore guard Stacy Booker takes a jump shot in USC’s win against Alabama. Booker will continue starting at guard Thursday. Women s hoops to play short-handed By MIQUEL JACOBS STAFF WRITER The USC women’s basketball team has struggled throughout the conference season, finally picking up steam and winning two of its last three games. After suffering a nine game losing streak, coach Susan Walvius takes her team upstate to Greenville for the SEC Tournament as a 12th seed and an outside shot at the NCAA Tournament automatic bid. After defeating Alabama and Kentucky, the Gamecocks bowed out to Ole Miss this past Sunday while playing without the services of starting backcourt sophomores Lauren Simms and Lea Fabbri, who they will also be without for the SEC Tournament. Simms has been sidelined since sustaining a knee injury against Alabama, and Fabbri flew back to her hometown of Zagreb, Croatia last Saturday following the death of her father. While Carolina could have let these unfortunate events drop its spirits on another disappointing season, the Gamecocks came out and fought against Mississippi. “With Simms out and losing Fabbri, we are without some depth and experience on perimeter," Walvius said. “I thought we played well considering we lost our point guard. It was a real emotional blow to our team. But at the same time, other players have stepped up." The two main players who have stepped up their games have been sophomores Stacy Booker and Iva Sliskovic. Booker has averaged 38 minutes over the past five games, playing the entire game against both LSU and Mississippi. Her production also increased, with an average of 12 points and six rebounds during that span. Sliskovic has also become a force in the post, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds over the span. After beginning the season slowly, Sliskovic has scored in double figures in the past four games, highlighted by a 16-point, 15 rebound effort against Kentucky. Playing in the toughest conference in the nation, Carolina’s first game will be a Thursday night rematch with Ole Miss. The jk ♦ Please see WOMEN, page 13 USC looks to continue streak By TYLER GREGG THE GAMECOCK The Gamecock baseball team (9-0) will play in its first night game of the season when they host the Wofford Terriers (5-7) tonight at 6 p.m. The Terriers have yet to win a conference game in three tries, despite a relative lack of talent in the Southern Conference this year. More positive news for Gamecock fans is that Wofford is also 0-4 in away games this season. The Carolina baseball team is starting this season like any top team in the country would expect to. USC is coming off of its third series sweep to improve to 9-0 on the year. Although the Gamecocks have yet to play an opponent that matches up talent wise, Carolina has dominated in virtually all previous nine wins. USC is now ranked No. 5 nationally in three major polls. This past weekend, Carolina hosted the Niagra Purple Eagles and outscored them 33-6. The Gamecocks were led this weekend by senior Steve Pearce, who was coming off of a six game suspension stemming from a rule infraction. Those worried that the star third baseman would be rusty were quickly proved wrong by Pearce’s play. Pearce went 8-for 13 (.615) with three homers, two of which were grand slams, and he also cracked in 10 RBIs. Pearce was rewarded for his play nationally, as he was named the Louisville Slugger’s National Player of the Week. This year’s Wofford squad is once again led by sophomore pitcher Austin Redwine, who is 3-1 on the year and has a 3.28 ERA. Redwine was just three outs away from a no-hitter this past weekend against Stony Brook. Redwine allowed just two hits while striking out seven and walking one in the outing. Although Redwine is a solid pitcher, freshman lefty Chip Hunt will get the start for the Terriers. Hunt has pitched just three innings this season and has given up three earned runs. Batters are hitting .286 against the southpaw. Taking the mound for the ♦ Please see BASEBALL, page 13 .:_~....j:_i KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK Junior outfielder Michael Campbell fields a fly ball in the Gamecocks’ 19-1 win over Niagara in game two of a three-game series. Fraternity Fight Night provides rare thrills ■ it wasn t Friday Night Fights, but it passed for decent entertainment To paraphrase one of my favorite sayings: There’s comedy, there’s high comedy and then there’s Fraternity Fight Night. Qbviously I couldn’t pass up free ringside tickets to this, JAKE so here is my BROOM Fraternity Fight Night SECOND-YEAR Journal POLITICAL 3 _ SCIENCE /-JB P-m STUDENT My roommate and I arrive at Club Tropical, quite possibly the shadiest place I have ever seen. We notice there is an ambulance parked outside, but we can’t decide if that is for the boxing or just that this place deserves an ambulance parked outside at all times. 7:56 p.m. After we finally get in, we realize two things: 1) They are blasting horrible Spanish music and 2) this is the first ever dance club/boxing establishment that either of us has ever seen. It is truly something to behold. 8:11 p.m. “Dude, look in the back...is that Suge Knight?" The fact that he is being serious is probably not a good sign. 8:24 p.m. One of the fighters approaches his friends in the crowd to talk. He looks like he just caught his girlfriend cheating on him with tbe guy that killed his puppy. This can gp one of two ways: 1) He will corpe out going crazy and completely pound his opponent, or 2) he will come out scared and get beat like he stole something. 8:52 p.m. Allie, the ring girl, forces on a fake smile so she can walk the fighters around the ring. Afterwards she goes back to screaming at some poor guy on her cell phone. 8:57 p.m. Remember that guy from 8:24 p.m.? Yeah, it looks like he is going with option 2. 9:10 p.m. One of the guys in the first fight dislocated his shoulder, and it popped back in (according to the referee). I give him props; that is pretty hardcore. 9:15 p.m. The next two fighters come out in shorts and New Balance shoes. Their combined weight is probably around 250 lbs. I thought I was in the right place, but this could turn out to be a cross country njeet. I’m not exactly sure right now. 9:38 p.m. One of the guys fighting now is wearing a sleeveless shirt with “Shut Up and Fish” written on the back of it. If that isn’t intimidation, I don’t know what is. I’m surprised he could tear himself away from the “Dukes of Hazzard” marathon on CMT long enough to be here. 9:40 p.m. Dislocated Shoulder Dude is now behind me supporting a beer with said shoulder. Apparently he is a fast healer. 9:45 p.m. After the third fight ended, the guy took off his gloves, and he had on a wristwatch the entire time. Why, I don’t know. Maybe he had muffins in the oven. 9:50 p.m. The ring announcer is now in the ring with a woman, singing her “Happy Birthday” while she blows out the candles A » ♦ Please see BROOM, page 13