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JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK The Gamecock women’s basketball team finished its season on a sour note Thursday when it fell in a heartbreaking loss to the Ole Miss Rebels. Carolina finished with just two conference wins. ■ WOMEN Continued from page 8 tournament game. “Shots were just hard to come by,” Ole Miss coach Carol Ross said. “I’m proud of my team for hanging in there.” What started as a low-scoring affair to USC’s liking turned into a nightmare for Walvius and her team. Mississippi netted two consecutive treys to begin the second half and pull out to a 30-19 lead. In what seemed to be a sure loss, the Gamecocks received a much-needed break when Ole Miss picked up its seventh team foul with 12:15 remaining in the game. The Rebels couldn’t stop fouling, as Carolina used the charity line to tie the game at 40. Falling victim to the double bonus with 7:46 remaining, Burgrova gave Carolina a 42-40 lead, its first since a little more than six minutes remaining in the first half. Both teams continued to trade shots until sophomore guard Angela Hunter’s NBA-range 3-pointer with 2:43 left gave Carolina a 50-49 lead and the hope of being just the third No. 12 seed team to win in the SEC Tournament. Price then went to take her team to the lead but missed 3-of-4 free throws in the final 30 seconds to give Carolina one last opportunity. Hunter was forced to adjust her shot in the air with five seconds remaining, and the missed opportunity led to a heartbreaking 53-50 loss. It was ultimately the usual suspects that ended Carolina’s season — poor shooting and costly turnovers. After turning the ball over 14 times in the first half, Carolina ended with 24 giveaways. The Gamecocks allowed the Rebels to collect 17 steals to their four. Mississippi’s Price was the main thief, grabbing six steals in the first half and eight overall. “I thought our defense was solid and successful,” Walvius said. “We knew we had to take care of the basketball and do good on getting rebounds and we didn’t.” “Our players did a tremendous job of being playmakers,” Ross added. “Instincts took over, aggressiveness took over. They did a terrific job being disruptful.” After a second consecutive disappointing season, Gamecock fans can take solace in the fact that a team with no seniors and only ofte junior has finally found a way to compete in the SEC. With a full returning‘squad and the addition of two highly touted recruits next season, a return to the NCAA Tournament might not be far off in the distance for these Gamecocks. “South Carolina is a really good ball club,” Ross admitted. “It’s taken a while to develop chemistry and allow players to grow. For them to be a 12-seed and as good as they are, that speaks to the strength of this conference. They’ll be a team to reckon with in years to come.” Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu GAMECOCK CHALLENGE tup challenge- Everv week Jonathan Stephen Alex Miquel Wes Scott "Mlyart Riley M. Wolfe Oayis staff test their sports knowledge sPorts Asst. Sports Staff Staff Special Reader of ..... editor editor Writer Writer guest the week with game predictions. (44-26) (44-26) (43-27) (43-27) (41-29) (45-25) 12 Alabama at Miss. State MSUBamaBama MSUBamaMSU Arkansas at Auburn Arkansas Auburn Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas Auburn Vanderbilt at LSU LSU LSU LSU LSULSU . Vanderbilt Georgia at Tennessee UT _UTUTUTUTUT 3 Kentucky at HoridaHorida Horida uk Horida uk uk_ 13 Syracuse at 15 UConn UConn UConn Syracuse UConn UConn Syracuse 20 Oklahoma at Texas Tech TTUOklahoma Oklahoma TTUTTUTTU Clemson at Georgia TechGTGTGTGTGTGT 6 Duke at 2 UNCUNC UNCUNC Duke Duke Duke Ole Miss at USC •' USC USC USC USC USC USC 65-60 60-46 62-59 69-56 45-43 7Q-59 WANT TO BE READER OF THE WEEK? E-MAIL SELECTIONS FOR NEXT WEEK’S GAMES TO GAMECOCKSPORTS@GWM.SC.EDU. LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Reader of the Week has taken a one-game lead entering our final week. Stay tuned for our NCAA Tourney contest coming soon. Where Intelligence Goes to Work Come learn more about NSA, our mission, and how you can join NSA employees in advancing technology and securing our nation. 8kWHEN: COLUMBIA, SC - Tues, Mash 15, 9a-2p • University el Souft Carolina (Russell House University Union Ballroom} WHAT: Job Fair ft Keynote Presentations WHO: We are hiring the following professionals: • Intelligence Analysts • Cryptanalysts • Language Analysts • Accountants • Computer Scientists • Budget/Financial Analysts • Computer/Electrical Engineers • Investigators www NSA.oov/careeis/exDfl • Mathematicians • Police Officers • Signals Analysts ► GetaiafficialBSApflitfoiiowii8nyouregistffffliliReatwwwJISA.gov/iarews/KqM. DETAILS: " to"'! target to bring your resume. H you are unable to attend, please apply online at www.BSA.gov/csrrars. l U S Citizenship is required for all applicants NSA is an equal opportunity employer All applicants for employment are considered without regard to race, color, religion, se*. national origin, age, marital status, handicap, sexual orientation or status as a parent i____L_ MLB begins testing era with abundance ofsupport TONY GUTIERI New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi jogs to first after being walked by Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kip Wells in the first inning of a spring training game Thursday. By RONALD BLUM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. TAMPA, Fla. — On the first day of baseball’s new era of drug testing, Steve Howe of all people happened to be in the New York Yankees clubhouse. Suspended eight times by baseball in an era when the sport’s focus was on cocaine use, Howe supports the new program in order for the sport to clear the cloud. He knows what it is to be in the glare of the spotlight and under suspicion. “I was one of the first to be fried and tried,” he said. All of baseball seemingly has to prove its innocence, which is why players agreed to the new deal, which calls for more testing, additional banned performance enhancing substances and a 10-day suspension for a first offense. Several players on the Florida Marlins were tested on the first day. “I think most guys are relieved something’s getting done so the majority don t get thrown into the mud because of the minority,” third baseman Mike Lowell said in Jupiter. Added Carlos Delgado, who like Lowell was not among those asked to provide a sample: “They can test me every day.” As the first tests were being taken, a congressional committee scheduled a hearing for March 17 on the new drug-testing agreement, which hasn’t even been finalized. Among those invited to testify were Jose Canseco, Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Frank Thomas, commissioner Bud Selig and players’ association head Donald Fehr. “There’s a cloud over baseball, and perhaps a public discussion of the issues, with witnesses testifying under oath, can provide a glimpse of sunlight,” said Rep. Tom Davis, chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. “I’m extremely concerned about the message being sent to children.” Los Angeles second baseman Jeff Kent criticized the new policy, telling the San Francisco Chronicle that testing should be supervised by an independent body, that amphetamines also should be banned and that penalties should be more along the lines of the Olympic movement, where first offenses generally merit a two-year ban. Kent refused to discuss the subject Thursday. “I’ve said my peace,” he said in Vero Beach. At the Yankees’ camp, New York special adviser Reggie Jackson said Selig called him to give a “reprimand” after the Hall of Famer discussed steroids in a newspaper interview last year. Jackson said because of that, he couldn’t discuss the new program. Rob Manfred, executive vice president for labor relations in the commissioner’s office, would not discuss how long it would take for Thursday’s test results to come back. He said the timing of when players are tested is determined by a random pull by hand. Last year, each player was tested only once unless a medical panel found “cause,” but the limit has been removed. “A player always is subject to an additional test,” he said. Howe, whose penalties were from 1983-92, now owns an energy drink company. He said players in recent years had faced pressure to produce power, with teams holding the attitude: “If you don’t hit home runs, then you’re going to be gone.” Still, he doesn’t think the problem in baseball is widespread. “For whatever reasons, holes have been dug by everybody, so you do what it takes to clear it,” he said. “A guy asked me one time, ‘Well, how bad is the drug problem in major league baseball?’ And I go, 'Go take a survey of your housewives, your doctors, your lawyers, your people down the street, and there you got your problem.’” He also rejects the argument that baseball players should be held up as role models. “The question needs to be asked: Why would your son choose me to be his role model rather than you, dad?” he said. ■ HOOPS Continued from page 8 USC did manage to hold the Commodores’ outside shooting down, as the SEC’s second-best 3 point shooting team was held to just four makes on 22 attempts for an 18-percent average. Carolina managed three scorers in double figures, led by Powell’s team-high 19. Tisby came one point short of a new career high with 17, and junior forward Rocky Trice added 10. Balkman grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds. Now Carolina will return home to lick its wounds and try to stop its first four-game losing streak since the 2002-03 season. They face a good team -to look for a win against, as the Ole Miss Rebels come tci Columbia. Ole Miss is 4-11 in the SEC and is just 1-6 in the conference on the road. The 2004-05 version of the Rebels’ is much different than the squad that defeated USC’s NCAA Tournament team last season. This year’s squad platoons a lot more than usual, as 10 players average more than 10 minutes per game. Ole Miss is led in scoring by senior forward Tommie Eddie, who only averages 11.1 points per game. Junior Londrick Nolen trails just behind Eddie, at 10.6. Tisby and Powell will be licking their chops while looking at the Ole Miss roster, as no player more than 6-feet-7-inches averages more than 10 minutes per game. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. Sunday. Both teams are already locked into their SEC Tournament seeds of eastern No. 4 for USC and western No. 5 for Ole Miss. Comments on this story? E-matl gamecocksports@gtitm.se. edu BE A LEADER AMONG LEADERS ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Every Soldier in the U.S. Army learns how to become a leader - AN ARMY OF ONE. With your bachelor’s degree, you can become an Army Officer and be a leader among leaders. In Officer Candidate School (OCS), you’ll learn management and leadership techniques. Apply now. 1 Openings are limited. >> Call Sgt 1st Class Greene at 777-4812 to find out about college loan repayment and more Army benefits. Or talk to a Recruiter at the Lagare College RS, 902 Sumter Street in Columbia. cell phone 315-7588, M0N-FRI9AM-5PM.