FoghornLeghornCock
01-10-2008, 09:06 AM
Posted on Thu, Jan. 10, 2008
USC Gamecocks vs Alabama Crimson Tide WHEN: 7:00 p.m. http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/280355.html
WHERE: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TV: None
RADIO: WISW 1320-AM
RECORDS: USC 11-4, 0-0; Alabama 7-8, 0-0
COACHES: USC, Susan Walvius (258-249 in 17 seasons overall, 160-148 in 10 seasons at USC); Alabama, Stephany Smith (179-135 in 11 seasons overall, 26-48 in 3 seasons at Alabama)
TICKETS: Available at Box Office
Three things to watch
The Gamecocks go into SEC play as banged up as they have been all season. Senior forward Lakesha Tolliver did not make the trip and will her second game in a row due to illness. Jordan Jones left Sunday’s victory against Savannah State with a bone bruise on her right knee, but did travel and is probable.
The Gamecocks have won three in a row against Alabama and seven of the past nine. USC won 95-35 last year in Columbia. Alabama averages only 55.9 points a game against a schedule that included only one team from a BCS conference.
The two teams have a common opponent in Alabama A&M. The Gamecocks won 88-41 at home while the Crimson Tide squeak out a five-point victory, 62-57.
Key player
Brionna Dickerson, G, USC
With the loss of Tolliver, USC is down to three players that have SEC experience. Dickerson might have to shoulder some of the point guard duties depending on the availability of Jordan Jones, but the Gamecocks need her to score as well.
Starting lineups
GAMECOCKS
POS. HT. NAME PPG.
F6-4Demetress Adams12.1 C6-6Ilona Burgrova9.2 G5-6Ebony Jones4.6 G5-9Jordan Jones13.1 G5-9Brionna Dickerson12.1 CRIMSON TIDEPOS. HT. NAME PPG.
F5-8Dedrea Magee8.8 F5-11Camilla Blands7.0 F6-1Caitlin Hollifield7.3 C6-0Tierney Jenkins13.0 G6-2Talisha Chandler7.0 Bottom LineThe Gamecocks cannot afford to trip up against any of the bottom three teams if they have hopes of postseason play. USC should have enough firepower.
—Chris Dearing
Posted on Thu, Jan. 10, 2008
Injury bug hits at bad time USC without Tolliver, while leading scorer is game-time decision before SEC opener
By CHRIS DEARING - Special to The State http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/280352.html
At the end of Sunday afternoon’s postgame press conference, Susan Walvius stated, “the first season is over.”
She was referring to the non-conference portion of the South Carolina schedule, now that the Gamecocks open SEC play at Alabama tonight. And any hopes of post-season action will either be achieved or whisked away over the next several weeks.
And unluckily for the Gamecocks, it comes as they are nursing several injuries.
Freshman guard Jordan Jones, the team’s leading scorer, was thought to be out with a bone bruise on her right knee, but word came Wednesday that she could travel and will be a game-time decision.
Lakesha Tolliver, meanwhile, missed Sunday’s game and played limited minutes in the game before that with an undisclosed illness that forced her to be hospitalized. A timetable for her return will be evaluated later this week.
“It’s a whole new focus with starting the SEC schedule, and unfortunately we’re struggling to get healthy,” Walvius said. “Some of our younger players are getting more comfortable in their roles and this is an opportunity for them to embrace the chance to play.”
Not only are the Gamecocks battling the injury bug, they are probably the youngest team in the SEC. With Tolliver out for an undisclosed amount of time, only three players have extensive playing time in SEC games.
Demtress Adams, a junior forward from Lee Central who averages 12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, said she, Ilona Burgrova and Brionna Dickerson have tried to prepare the seven freshmen and one junior college transfer for what they can expect.
“The most important thing for the underclassmen to do now is trust the coaches and listen to what we, as upperclassmen, are trying to tell them,” Adams said. “The timing is bad for the injuries and stuff but we have to overcome and have players step up like they have the last several games. There is no playing scored just because we’re in the SEC.”
Walvius has tried to prepare her team for the SEC by playing No. 1 Connecticut and No. 8 Oklahoma on the road as well as games against Penn State, Illinois, Virginia and Clemson.
“In general, most people outside of our league don’t understand how tough it is to play this type of competition every night,” Walvius said. “The hardest part for us is getting into the post season because once we’re there we’ve already played against some of the best teams in the country. So far this team has embraced this journey and it’s getting ready to step up a notch.”
USC Gamecocks vs Alabama Crimson Tide WHEN: 7:00 p.m. http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/280355.html
WHERE: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TV: None
RADIO: WISW 1320-AM
RECORDS: USC 11-4, 0-0; Alabama 7-8, 0-0
COACHES: USC, Susan Walvius (258-249 in 17 seasons overall, 160-148 in 10 seasons at USC); Alabama, Stephany Smith (179-135 in 11 seasons overall, 26-48 in 3 seasons at Alabama)
TICKETS: Available at Box Office
Three things to watch
The Gamecocks go into SEC play as banged up as they have been all season. Senior forward Lakesha Tolliver did not make the trip and will her second game in a row due to illness. Jordan Jones left Sunday’s victory against Savannah State with a bone bruise on her right knee, but did travel and is probable.
The Gamecocks have won three in a row against Alabama and seven of the past nine. USC won 95-35 last year in Columbia. Alabama averages only 55.9 points a game against a schedule that included only one team from a BCS conference.
The two teams have a common opponent in Alabama A&M. The Gamecocks won 88-41 at home while the Crimson Tide squeak out a five-point victory, 62-57.
Key player
Brionna Dickerson, G, USC
With the loss of Tolliver, USC is down to three players that have SEC experience. Dickerson might have to shoulder some of the point guard duties depending on the availability of Jordan Jones, but the Gamecocks need her to score as well.
Starting lineups
GAMECOCKS
POS. HT. NAME PPG.
F6-4Demetress Adams12.1 C6-6Ilona Burgrova9.2 G5-6Ebony Jones4.6 G5-9Jordan Jones13.1 G5-9Brionna Dickerson12.1 CRIMSON TIDEPOS. HT. NAME PPG.
F5-8Dedrea Magee8.8 F5-11Camilla Blands7.0 F6-1Caitlin Hollifield7.3 C6-0Tierney Jenkins13.0 G6-2Talisha Chandler7.0 Bottom LineThe Gamecocks cannot afford to trip up against any of the bottom three teams if they have hopes of postseason play. USC should have enough firepower.
—Chris Dearing
Posted on Thu, Jan. 10, 2008
Injury bug hits at bad time USC without Tolliver, while leading scorer is game-time decision before SEC opener
By CHRIS DEARING - Special to The State http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/280352.html
At the end of Sunday afternoon’s postgame press conference, Susan Walvius stated, “the first season is over.”
She was referring to the non-conference portion of the South Carolina schedule, now that the Gamecocks open SEC play at Alabama tonight. And any hopes of post-season action will either be achieved or whisked away over the next several weeks.
And unluckily for the Gamecocks, it comes as they are nursing several injuries.
Freshman guard Jordan Jones, the team’s leading scorer, was thought to be out with a bone bruise on her right knee, but word came Wednesday that she could travel and will be a game-time decision.
Lakesha Tolliver, meanwhile, missed Sunday’s game and played limited minutes in the game before that with an undisclosed illness that forced her to be hospitalized. A timetable for her return will be evaluated later this week.
“It’s a whole new focus with starting the SEC schedule, and unfortunately we’re struggling to get healthy,” Walvius said. “Some of our younger players are getting more comfortable in their roles and this is an opportunity for them to embrace the chance to play.”
Not only are the Gamecocks battling the injury bug, they are probably the youngest team in the SEC. With Tolliver out for an undisclosed amount of time, only three players have extensive playing time in SEC games.
Demtress Adams, a junior forward from Lee Central who averages 12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, said she, Ilona Burgrova and Brionna Dickerson have tried to prepare the seven freshmen and one junior college transfer for what they can expect.
“The most important thing for the underclassmen to do now is trust the coaches and listen to what we, as upperclassmen, are trying to tell them,” Adams said. “The timing is bad for the injuries and stuff but we have to overcome and have players step up like they have the last several games. There is no playing scored just because we’re in the SEC.”
Walvius has tried to prepare her team for the SEC by playing No. 1 Connecticut and No. 8 Oklahoma on the road as well as games against Penn State, Illinois, Virginia and Clemson.
“In general, most people outside of our league don’t understand how tough it is to play this type of competition every night,” Walvius said. “The hardest part for us is getting into the post season because once we’re there we’ve already played against some of the best teams in the country. So far this team has embraced this journey and it’s getting ready to step up a notch.”