The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 21, 2005, Page 10, Image 10
WJ GAME SCHEDULE
O I ■ I k I . MEN’S TENNIS vs. Wake Forest, 2 p.m. Tuesday
rage 1U W W if SOFTBALL at Coastal Carolina, 6 p.m. Tuesday
Monday, March 21,2005 C MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. UNLV, 9 p.m. Tuesday
POSTSEASON BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS
NIT brings Rebels to USC
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Sophomore point guard Tre’ Kelley, left, and junior forward Aptoine Tisby prepare to check in for the Gamecocks earlier this season.
■ Gamecocks to play in
nationally televised second
round mactchup with UNLV
By ALEX RILEY
STAFF WRITER
The USC men’s basketball team will put it
all on the line Tuesday night when it plays
host to the Running Rebels of the University
of Las Vegas at Nevada (UNLV) in second
round action of the National Invitation
Tournament (NIT).
The tilt begins at 9 p.m. and will be shown
to a national audience on ESPN.
After downing the ACC’s newest addition,
Miami, 69-67 in the opening round, the
Gamecocks advance to play UNLV in the
second round of the NIT for the second time
in the past four seasons.
After beating the ACC’s Virginia in the
opening round of the 2002 NIT, the
Gamecocks came back to Columbia to beat
UNLV 75-65 in front of a national audience
on ESPN. Carolina proceeded to beat Ball
State the next week and advance to the
semifinals at Madison Square Garden, where
it beat Syracuse (the following season’s
national champions), before eventually losing
to Memphis in the title game.
That season, Carlos Powell was a
freshman, playing a total of 17 minutes with
just two points during the UNLV game. This
time around, Powell will be both the
emotional and physical leader. During the
past three games, Powell has totaled 69
points, including setting a career high 30 in a
senior day finale against Ole Miss. Powell had
another 21 against Ole Miss in the SEC
tournament and 18 in last week’s win over
Miami.
Along with Powell, Brandon Wallace and
Tarence Kinsey will have to continue to play
hot, as both scored double digits against
Miami. Wallace finished with 10 points and
seven boards while Kinsey hit 11 points.
After a recruiting trip during the end of last
week, Coach Dave Odom had very little to
say about the Rebels.
“I know nothing about UNLV. I didn’t
know who we played until I got off the
♦ Please see NIT, page 11
ELISE AMENDO LA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
North Carolina State’s Julius Hodge drives to
the basket during the Wolfpack’s 65-62 win
over defending national champion UConn.
GAMECOCK
TOURNAMENT
CHALLENGE
Top 10 as of 3-21-05
1. Larcey Simpson, reader, 65points
2. Stephen Zehrak, reader, 59points
3. Ernest Stroman, reader, 56points
4. Jonathan Frost, reader, 54points
5. Brian Bufford reader, 53 points
6. Shawn Rourke, reader, 53 points
7. John Wilson, reader, 53 points
8. Thomas McPartland, reader, 51 points
9■ Dylan Gallagher, reader, 49 points
10. Wes Wolfe, Viewpoints Editor, 49 points
Tournament
yields madness
By JONATHAN HILLYARD
SPORTS EDITOR
It’s awesome baby.
That’s what Dick Vitale and most college
basketball fans were likely thinking after the
first weekend of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
The weekend was filled with nail-biters, as
few teams managed to ' blowout their
opponents.
Upsets were plentiful in both the first and
second rounds, as two No. 2 seeds fell in the
second round, including Wake Forest dropping
an instant classic to No. 7 seed West Virginia,
and defending national champion Connecticut
falling by 3 points to North Carolina State.
Despite leading most of the game, N.C.
State found itself tied at 62 with 15.8 seconds
left. That is, until senior leader and former
ACC Player of the Year Julius Hodge hit a
driving lay-up, got fouled and made a free
throw with just 4.8 seconds left. The Huskies
desperation 3-pointer fell short, sending the
Wolfpack forward with a 65-62 win.
Wake Forest battled with the Mountaineers
of West Virginia and 40 minutes were not
enough to settle it. In fact, 45 minutes were not
enough. The Demon Deacons played from
behind in most of two overtimes, as Wake’s
Taron Downey hit clutch three-pointer after
another. Finally, West Virginia’s Mike Gansey
was too much for Wake, as the junior led the
Mountaineers to a 111-105 wifi in double
overtime on 29 points.
Friday provided some of those “one
shining moments” as Cinderella stories
Bucknell (No. 14 seed) and Vermont (No. 13
seed) upset perennial powers Kansas (No. 3
seed) and Syracuse (No. 4 seed). The slipper
didn’t fit for long though, as both teams fell
in the tournament’s second round. .
The No. 3 seeds had the worst of luck in the
first weekend of the tournament, as Kansas,
Gonzaga and Oklahoma all failed to make it
out of the first round. No. 12 seed UW
Milwaukee has busted brackets everywhere,
♦ Please see NCAA, page 11
NICK ESARES/THE GAMECOCK
Sophomore standout safety Ko Simpson, foreground center, and
other USC defensive players practice basic tackling during the
first practice of 2005. The defense shined in the initial workout.
Spurrier, Carolina
hold first practice
■ Defense overshadows
fun ‘n gun in Carolina's
first workout of spring
By MIQUELJACOBS
STAFF WRITER
The Spurrier Era began at
about 10 a.m. Saturday morning
when USC’s football team
conducted its first practice of
2005. Just as coach Steve
Spurrier ' promised, the first
glimpse of Carolina’s 2005 team
was not one of style but rather of
substance.
“Spring practice to me has
always been about learning what
to do and to find the players
who really want to play,”
Spurrier said. “Mainly, we’re
trying to put our system in. We
want to teach the players how to
practice and show them how to
do things.”
OFFENSE
Putting in the fun ‘n’ gun
system meant that Spurrier
would devote the majority of his
time where he has his entire
career - with the quarterbacks.
Practice began on the field with
each individual position working
separately with its coach. In the
middle of the back practice field
stood Spurrier and assistant
coach David Reeves conducted
passing drills with the four
players vying for a shot at the
starting job.
Sophomore Blake Mitchell,
the early favorite to land the job,
looked good throughout the day,
throwing the most consistently
of the four. Redshirt freshman
Antonio Heffner began with the
second unit while redshirt junior
Brett Nichols (walk-on) and
senior Mike Rathe filled in the
rotation. Rathe is able to practice
while appealing for a sixth year
of eligibility.
“All of the quarterbacks threw
some good balls,” Spurrier said.
“Bret Nichols, the walk-on, is
very good. He has a chance too.
All of the quarterbacks are right
in there together right now.”
The wide receivers were
aggressive and eager despite
having the playbook for only two
weeks. Juniors Noah Whiteside
and Syvelle Newton and redshirt
freshman Sidney Rice showed
glimpses of strong work ethic
that will be needed to fend off at
least four highly tputed freshmen
coming in the summer. Rice
wowed a crowed of around
2,500 at Williams-Brice Stadium
when he snatched a pass out of
mid air nearly 10 feet off the
ground. Newton spoke after
practice about his move back to
wide receiver.
“I just wanted to be where I
thought I could help the team
the most,” the junior said. “I still
may have the chance to play
some quarterback. If they asked
me to move back there
tomorrow, I would.”
Junior Andy Boyd impressed
at the tight end position. At
running back, senior Daccus
Turman and redshirt freshman
Albert Ashcraft received the bulk
of the carries. Turman
showcased with a run straight
through the defense on the first
carry of 7-on-7 drills.
Anticipated starter junior Cory
Boyd suffered a slight injury
early in practice and did not join
the team for drills at Williams
Brice.
“We were in individual drills
and I went to catch a pass that
was too low,” Boyd said. “After I
caught it, I turned around too
quickly and felt a little pop.”
DEFENSE
Spurrier hinted that the
defense would have a slightly
quicker learning curve than the
offense, a statement that seemed
true in practice. Sophomore
linebacker Mike West, a junior
college transfer, made the most
of the first impression, taking an
interception for a touchdown in
11-on-11 skeleton drills. The
most-watched position batde
will be in the secondary, where
the number of talented players
far outweighs the number of on
field spots.
Sophomores Ko Simpson,
Chris Hampton, Johnathan
Joseph and junior Fred Bennett
started with the first unit, but the
second unit can easily work its
way up, coaches said.
Senior Tremaine Tyler,
redshirt sophomore Ty Erving
and redshirt freshmen Trent
Usher and Stoney Woodson had
a good day in the secondary, and
the depth will make assistant
coach Dave Wommack’s job
easier.
INJURY REPORT
Boyd’s left hamstring is day
to-day. James Thompson did not
practice with a stress fracture in
his right foot. John Paul Gillis is '
recovering from back surgery
and likely will end his career.
Fred Bennett nursed a right
shoulder problem but
participated. Michael Flint is
recovering from right shoulder
surgery, but also participated.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
USC can’t steal series from ’Backs
■ Arkansas picks up
2 of 3 from Gamecocks
in series at Sarge Frye
By BRIAN DAVIS
THE GAMECOCK
The No. 2 baseball team fell for
the second time Sunday in its three
game series against No. 7 Arkansas.
In holding the Razorbacks to five
hits in 32 at bats Sunday, USC
freshman pitcher Wynn Pelzer
earned the loss, allowing three of
the Razorbacks’ five runs.
After three scoreless innings to
begin the series’ deciding match
up, the Razorbacks grasped the
initial advantage as designated
hitter Danny Hamblin nailed a
three-run home-run to send Pelzer
back to the bullpen and introduce
senior right-hander Jason Fletcher.
Fletcher held control over the
Arkansas batters for the next four
and a third innings, until left
fielder Jake Dugger hit a two-run
shot, scoring center-fielder Casey
Rowlett and putting the
Razorbacks up for good.
USC put one run on the board in
the sixth inning as Steven Pearce
singled to score Steven Tolieson, one
more in the eighth, and a last one in
a ninth inning effort as Brandon
Winn advanced junior pinch runner
Joey Friddle. Unfortunately, the
team could produce only one
additional hit outside the three
innings they scored in.
A day after USC blasted with
their hitting ability, Arkansas’ range
bettered its chances against USC
Sunday.
In USC’s 12-3 trouncing of the
Razorbacks Saturday, home runs
by Pearce, Tolleson and junior
Chris Brown tallied half of the
USC runs. USC’s nine-run fourth
inning was sparked by Tolleson
and Brovyn’s homeruns and proved
as the pace-setter for the remainder
of the game. Until a minor, two
run ninth inning, the Razorbacks
had no response for the offensive
onslaught.
Senior pitcher Zac McCamie
earned the win in delivering seven
strikeouts in the game’s opening
seven innings to advance his record
to 5-0 on the season. Sophomore
right-hander Conor Lalor pitched
the final two innings, allowing two
runs on four hits.
In the initial game of the
series, Arkansas pitchers Nick
Schmidt and Lee Land contained
the USC offense to three hits and
♦ Please see BASEBALL, page 11
CHARLIE DAVENPORT/THE GAMECOCK
Junior shortstop Steven Tolleson is caught stealing in Sunday’s 5-3
loss to the No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks. Arkansas took the series 2