The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 28, 2005, Page 10, Image 10
J_ji | I / r I 1 U GAME SCHEDULE
I I I I \ I i SOFTBALL vs. North Carolina, 4 p.m. Tuesday
r-agcxu ■ 1 / I I 111 BASEBALL vs. Brown, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Monday, March 28, 2005 —1— —1— V- —MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Maryland, 9 p.m. Tuesday
STEVE SPURRIER STATS
Compiled a 122-27-1 record at
Florida from 1990-2001, the most
wins for a Gator coach in school a
history and a win percentage m
(.817) that ranked among the SL
top three in SEC history. ^k
The only coach in SEC history’, V
and one of only two coaches in V
major college history, to lead a B
squad to six straight seasons of |
10 or more wins (1993-1998).
The only coach in the nation
to lead his team to at least nine fl
wins in each of his 12 years I^^B
(1990-2001) at the helm. «
One of only five coaches in
major college history’ to have ^B
his team ranked in the final B
Top 15 Poll in each of 12
consecutive seasons (1990- ,/iasB
2001). jgBM
UNDER the
VISOR
I recently sat down fora one-on-one
interview with new USC football coach Steve
Spurrier. We spoke about a new era of Gamecock
football, his coaching career and, most importantly,
who the coach behind the visor is.
In part three of a three-part series, I spoke with him
about the coach away from the sideline.
w*
Jonathan Hillyard: Which is your
favorite team that you’ve coached so
far in your career?
Steve Spurrier; There’s really too
many to say. The 1989 Duke team was really
special. We won six games in a row and won the ACC
championship. We had a running back named Randy
Cuthbert who gained over 1,100 yards and only started
six games. We had a wide receiver, Clarkston Hines,
who was the ACC Player of the Year.
Really, all the Florida teams were very special. I
guess the 1996 national championship team
achieved the most, but they’ve all been special.
But of course the ones that win championships
are the most special. I’ve never really thought
about ranking them. I just put them all right
‘ there together.
JH: At this point in your career, is this
your last coaching job?
k SS: Yeah. Definitely. Even though
k I’m going to be 60 in about a month
^k or so, I don’t quite feel that way. I’ve
^k studied people, we all have, and
^k those of us who are 50, 60, 70, we
realize how quickly time goes. I“ve seen some people that are old
at 40 or 50 and some people that young at 50, 60 or even 70. A
friend of mine who's 72 still hits his golf ball like he always did.
He really hasn’t changed much in the 25 years that I’ve know
him. So, I feel like a young 60-year-old. 1 certainly feel good
health-wise, and I’ve been able to work out four or five days a
week for the last 35 years or so, and I feel really good so
hopefully I’m considered as one of those young 60s instead of
an old 60.
JH: What point did you realize you wanted to come back to
coaching in college football?
SS: Probably after observing last year and taking my son
Scotty to a few games and watching it on TV. And. I looked at
it as Pm fortunate, health-wise, to be in good shape, and the
doctor tells me, unless something unforeseen happens, I can live
to 90 or more. So, Pve only gone through about two-thirds of
my life, and Pve got a lot of life left. I feel like Pve got a lot of
years to coach left, also. I was disappointed and embarrassed at
the way the last two years went as a coach, and I'm excited to
have a team, a group of assistant coaches, a group of players, a
support staff who are all on the same team together. That’s one
of the reasons I’m so excited to he here at Carolina is because l
♦ Please see SPURRIER, page 11
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
The USC softball team dropped two games to Auburn during the
weekend, while the third game of the series was canceled.
Auburn sweeps USC
with balanced attack
By BRIAN DAVIS
FOR THE GAMECOCK
The USC softball team fell in its
first two games on a trip to Auburn
this weekend, losing the contests
by a combined 11 runs by scores of
10-8 and 11-2 before having the
third suspended and then cancelled
because of inclement weather.
In Saturday’s game matching
USC freshman pitcher Kate
Pouliot and Auburn starter
sophomore Beth DiPietro, the
experienced pitcher came out on
top. Pouliot allowed eight hits and
two runs against Carolina in a
game that was shortened to five
innings. In contrast, Pouliot was
trounced with 11 runs on 12 hits
Saturday, evening her young
career record to 5-5.
After tallying the game’s first
two runs in the first inning, USC
was held scoreless for the
remainder of the contest. After
freshman Lisa Longo, senior
Meghan Cornett and sophomore
McKenna Hughes reached base,
USC designated hitter freshman
Stefanie Norman singled to the
shortstop to score the first run of
the game. Two batters later,
sophomore center fielder Chrissy
Schoonmaker hit a single to score
Cornett, as USC took a 2-0 lead.
After only one hit in the first,
the Tigers quickly rebounded and
destroyed. In the second and
third, the Tigers tallied 10 of their
11 runs on 10 hits. In the second,
the Tigers killed USC with small
ball play and the long ball. After
both reached base, sophomore
third basemen Kristina McCain
and sophomore left fielder Lauren
Walton advanced on stolen bases.
Two- and three-run home runs
were then belted by senior second
basemen Lolani Alvarez and
sophomore designated hitter
Holly Currie, respectively.
In the series opener early
Saturday, Auburn began the
scoring, with a five-run first
inning, a lead they would not
abandon. This game had similar
results, as McCain scored one run
and Currie, batting 3-for-4, tallied
two RBIs. In addition, senior
designated hitter Anne Norton
went l-for-3 with a first-inning
home run, earning her three RBIs.
Currier’s lone hit was a two-run
home run.
In the second, junior catcher
Ashley Smith walked with the
bases loaded to bring in USC’s
first run. Despite a three-run
second inning by Carolina, the
Tigers were not to be beaten. On
an errant play that inning, USC
slid in two more runs as a single
to the outfield by senior second
♦ Please see SOFTBALL, page 11
Baseball drops second SEC series
By MIQUEL JACOBS
STAFF WRITER
For the second straight
weekend, the No. 6 USC baseball
team (19-5, 2-4 SEC) dropped a
conference series on the final day.
Traveling to play the No. 11
Florida Gators in Gainesville, the
Gamecocks took the first game of
the series 2-0 before struggling to
find an offensive rhythm in back
to-back losses this past weekend.
The series win is the first for the
Gators (19-7, 3-3 SEC) against the
Gamecocks since the 1999 season.
Similar to previous Carolina
games this season, the Friday night
opener turned into a true pitchers’
duel. USC senior starter Aaron
Rawl (5-2) hurled seven innings,
allowing only five hits and two
walks while striking out a season
higtanine batters. Both walks came
in Rawi’s last inning, after which
senior Jason Fletcher mopped up
the final two innings to earn his
second save of the season. He
retired all batters in order except
for one hit with two outs in the
ninth. Rawl and Fletcher
combined to give up only six hits
in the Gamecocks’ third season
shutout. It was the first time
Florida was shut out at home since
April 16, 1999.
“We didn’t do a lot offensively,”
USC coach Ray Tanner said.
“Fortunately, Aaron had one of his
best games of the year.”
Junior Bryan Ball pitched a near
flawless six innings for the Gators
before the hit barrage in the seventh,
allowing two runs driven in by
sophomore Tommy King and
junior Davy Gregg. He was able to
slow Carolina’s main offensive
forces, striking out junior Steven
Tolleson and senior Brendan Winn
twice ^ich. The work wasn’t
♦ Please see BASEBALL, page 11
|-|-a—H-Tni,::rn ■ ■ --I-'\-.r ri.i TfaJ
CHARLIE DAVENPORT/THE GAMECOCK
Coach Ra^Tanner and the Gamecocks look on during a gatne
earlier this season. USC lost 2 of 3 to Florida this weekend.
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Sophomore forward Renaldo Balkman goes up for a layup in USC's
Thursday win against Georgetown in the Colonial Center.
■ RIVALRY
Continued from page 1
Wake Forest schools. But we knew
each other prior to taking those
jobs.”
Carolina is riding the hot shot of
senior Carlos Powell all the way to
the Big Apple. After setting a new
career high on Senior Day with 30
points, Powell has been on a torrid
pace, totaling 95 points during the
last five games, moving him into
seventh place for the Gamecocks’
all-time career scoring record with
only 13 points needed to move past
Jim Slaughter for sixth place.
“Carlos Powell is playing right
now like he wants people to see
him play,” Odom said. “He wants
to play again someplace next year.
It’s not selfish; he’s just playing
very well. He is really into it.”
While Powell is providing the
offensive spark, sophomore Tre’
Kelley is quickly becoming one of
the best guards still playing
postseason basketball. After
dishing out nine assists against
UNLV, Kelley had an additional
seven assists against Georgetown
to go along with 11 points,
making it one of the rare
occasions this season when Kelley
has hit double-digits for a
Gamecock win.
The defense will be tested by the
high-powered offense of junior
forward Nik Caner-Medley.
Caner-Medley is the Terps’
leading scorer, averaging 16.1
points per game on the season, but
has more than 20 points in 10
games this season. Those numbers
helped him garner All-ACC Third
Team honors fhis season.
“Maryland has a lot of depth.
They are long and lean and
athletic," Odom said. “They can
be torture to play against when
they are playing great defense.
Offensively, they are inside
orientated and can shoot the 3. I
think from what 1 have seen of
Maryland this year, which is very
limited, they look to be very much
like a Gary Williams-type team.”
Odom said he knows the task
ahead is not easy but hopes his o
players will be up to it and use it to
grow as Gamecocks.
“We want to make this a fun but
purposeful trip. We need to
remember the basketball is what
brings us to New York,” he said.
“John (Chappell), Jon (Land) and
Carlos (Powell) have been there,
and know the real fun lies in
winning and playing your best in
Madison Square Garden. That is
the attitude we want to embrace in
New York.”
--;-'
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