Feb. 20, 2008

		Game Notes
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Last Time Out
South Carolina dropped an 83-72 decision at Auburn Sunday afternoon as the Tigers hit 29-of-38 from the free throw line. Junior Demetress Adams netted a season-high 17 points for the Gamecocks, all but four of which came in the second half. Freshman guard Ashlie Billingslea enjoyed a career day with six assists and five points, including her first basket and 3-pointer of the season.

Series Notes
Mississippi State leads the series 12-9, although the Gamecocks have won three of the last four meetings. The teams split a home-and-home series last year with each winning on its home floor. South Carolina swept the two-game set in 2005-06. The Gamecocks are 7-4 against the Lady Bulldogs in Columbia, including a 4-2 record under head coach Susan Walvius.

Suddenly Susan
Head coach Susan Walvius is in her 11th season as the Gamecocks’ mentor with a 162-156 record. She has led South Carolina to two NCAA Tournaments and two WNITs, including an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2001-02. Her players have also excelled in the classroom. In 2006-07, 10 Gamecocks appeared on the SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll. In the last four years, South Carolina has placed more student-athletes on that list than any other school. Walvius has an 18-year career mark of 260-257.

Ticket Information
Adults are admitted for $7. Youth under the age of 18 are admitted for $3. Season tickets are $40. For more information or to order tickets, contact the South Carolina Ticket Office toll free at 800-4SC-FANS or locally at 803-777-4274. Tickets can also be ordered via the athletics web site GamecocksOnline.com.

A South Carolina Win Would …

• Be the Gamecocks’ second-straight over Mississippi State.
• Give the Gamecocks an 8-4 record against the Lady Bulldogs in games played in Columbia.
• Give the Gamecocks an 12-4 record this season at the Colonial Center.
• Improve Susan Walvius’ SEC regular-season record to 50-101.

A Leader in the Board Room
Junior Demetress Adams’ record-setting performance against Arkansas helped move her into third place in the SEC with 9.0 rebounds per game. She has spent the entire season among the league’s top 10 and, through games of Feb. 17, ranked 48th in the nation in the category. Adams has posted double-digit rebounds in 10 games this season, including three of the last five outings.

Stop! Thief!
Junior Demetress Adams is seventh in the SEC with 2.36 steals per game. Hovering around the league’s elite in the category, she has picked an opponent’s pocket four or more times in six games this season, including a career-high six steals at Clemson on Dec. 22. Vanderbilt’s Jennifer Risper leads the SEC at 2.92 steals per game. With 59 steals this season, Adams has already surpassed her previous career-best of 52, which she collected last season. She needs 17 more to crack the program’s single-season top 10 as both Annie Lester (1997-98) and Martha Parker (1986-87) round out that list with 76 swipes.

It’s a Block Party!
Through games of Feb. 17, South Carolina was 17th in the nation with 5.16 blocked shots per game, a number that is third in the SEC to Tennessee’s 6.08 per game and Auburn’s 5.36. All three teams trail North Carolina’s NCAA-best 7.3 blocks per game. Individually, junior Demetress Adams leads the team with 45 blocks this season, ranking her sixth in the SEC (1.80 per game) and tied for seventh in school history. Senior Lakesha Tolliver has swatted away 2.16 blocks per game to rank tied for second in the league in that category.
Single-Season Blocked Shots
1. 60 by Lakesha Tolliver (2006-07)
2. 58 by Teresa Geter (2000-01)
3. 54 by Melanie Johnson (2004-05)
4. 53 by Michelle Murray (1990-91)
5. 49 by Michelle Murray (1991-92)
6. 48 by Petra Ujhelyi (2002-03)
7. 45 by Demetress Adams (2007-08); by Petra Ujhelyi (2001-02)

Long Distance Plan
Freshman Jordan Jones is 25th in the nation and second in the SEC with 2.60 3-pointers per game. Mississippi State’s Alexis Rack leads the league at 2.62 3-pointers per game, while Sade Logan of Robert Morris has hit an NCAA-best 3.8 per game from beyond the arc. Jones has hit 65 baskets from long range for South Carolina this season to already rank among the program’s all-time top 10 in the category.
Single-Season 3-Pointers Made
1. 115 by Karen Middleton (1990-91)
2. 84 by Christi Timmons (1991-92)
3. 82 by Shannon Johnson (1995-96)
4. 81 by Kelly Morrone (2003-04)
5. 79 by Christi Timmons (1993-94)
6. 76 by Karen Middleton (1989-90)
7. 75 by Karen Middleton (1987-88)
8. 65 by Jordan Jones (2007-08)

From Way Downtown – Bang!
Freshman Jordan Jones is third in the SEC with 36.1 percent accuracy from behind the arc. Vanderbilt’s Christina Wirth leads the SEC shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range. Karen Middleton holds the South Carolina record for 3-point field goal percentage by a freshman after hitting 43.4 percent (75-of-163) in 1987-88. Middleton holds the four best 3-point percentages in school history, including the record 46.9 percent (76-of-162), which she set as a junior in 1989-90.

Dropping Dimes
Freshman Samone Kennedy has handed out 3.42 assists per game this season to rank eighth in the SEC, and she has accomplished the feat as the only player in the league’s top 10 averaging less than 25 minutes per game. In fact, Kennedy, who has played 18.9 minutes per game, hands out an assist every 5.52 minutes she is on the floor, which is the best number among the group. The next closest is the league’s assist/game leader, Shantell Black, who picks up an assist every 5.83 minutes she plays. Kennedy is also among the league’s top 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking ninth with a 1.31:1 mark.

Definitive Demetress
Junior Demetress Adams has recorded 12 career double-doubles, including eight this season, and the Gamecocks are 11-1 in those games, taking their first loss at No. 8 LSU on Jan. 31. South Carolina is undefeated in Adams’ three career games with five or more blocked shots, including two this season. In her five career games with five or more assists, including four this season, the Gamecocks are 4-1, suffering its first loss under those conditions on Jan. 27 against Florida.

Glass Ceiling?
Junior Demetress Adams grabbed a school record 26 rebounds against Arkansas on Feb. 3, breaking Denise Nanney’s 33-year-old record of 24. The first Gamecock since 1993 to bring down 20 or more rebounds in a game, Adams tied Mississippi State’s Sophie Ratliff’s 26 against Shorter in 1988 as the most by an SEC player since the league began officially sponsoring women’s basketball in 1982-83. Of her 26 boards, a school-record 17 came on the defensive end. Among her record-breaking 26 rebounds was the 500th of her career. Through games of Feb. 17, Adams’ 26 boards are the most by any player in the country this season.

Just Czeching
After finding her offensive rhythm with a career-high-tying 17 points against Charleston Southern, senior Ilona Burgrova reached double-figure points in the next five outings. After a two-game hiatus from double figures, during which she scored nine points against UNC Asheville and seven against Savannah State, the center from the Czech Republic bounced back in conference play with a team-high 13 points at Alabama. Burgrova recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against No. 2 Tennessee. In all, she has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 19 games, including three games against teams ranked in the top 10.

Balancing Act
After a 2006-07 campaign that saw the Gamecock frontcourt carrying the load, South Carolina’s offense this season has been more of a balance between inside and outside play. The inside quartet of Demetress Adams (283 pts), Ilona Burgrova (244 pts), Jewel May (84 pts) and Lakesha Tolliver (170 pts) has provided 31.2 of the teams 65.7 points per game (47.5%). Last season, the frontcourt accounted for 39.5 of the team’s 68.6 ppg (57.8%).

The Game On the Line
As a team, the Gamecocks have struggled from the free-throw line this season, hitting just 66.9 percent of their attempts. But, when the game is on the line (quite literally), South Carolina has been able to sink them, hitting 72.6 percent in the last five minutes, including 74.6 percent in the final two minutes of games. The five regular starters (J. Jones, Adams, Dickerson, Burgrova and Tolliver) have missed just 10 free throws in 43 attempts in the game’s final two minutes and have hit 53-of-71 (74.6 percent) at the under five-minute mark. (See box on Page 4 for player-by-player breakdown.) Overall, that starting group is hitting just 66.2 (225-of-340) on the season.

Like a Broken Record
One game after etching her name in as the school record holder for blocked shots in a game with seven against UNC Wilmington on Dec. 1, senior Lakesha Tolliver completed her trifecta of blocked shot records by becoming the South Carolina career record holder with five swats against Charleston Southern on Dec. 4. Just nine games into her senior season, Tolliver’s 171 career blocks has eclipsed the Michelle Murray’s previous record of 148. Tolliver set the school record for single-season blocked shots in 2006-07 with 60. She has 41 so far this season.
Career Blocked Shots
1. 171 by Lakesha Tolliver (2004-present)
2. 148 by Michelle Murray (1989-93)
3. 116 by Petra Ujhelyi (2000-03)
4. 114 by Iva Sliskovic (2003-07)
5. 108 by Demetress Adams (2005-present)

Heads Held High
South Carolina posted an 11-4 non-conference record, the program’s best since the 2003-04 team went 12-1 en route to an NCAA Tournament berth. The four non-SEC teams that defeated the Gamecocks – Penn State, Illinois, Connecticut and Oklahoma – are a combined 69-30 (.697) this season.

Losing Pace
Junior transfer C.J. Pace has been declared academically ineligible for the spring semester. Prior to the start of classes this term, Pace played in 16 games, including two starts, and added 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. She enjoyed a breakout game on Jan. 3 against UNC Asheville in which she scored a season-best 15 points.

The Adams Family
Junior Demetress Adams (Bishopville, S.C./Lee Central) leads the Gamecocks and ranks third in the SEC with 9.0 rebounds per game … is second on the team at 11.3 ppg … has been the team’s leading scorer six times and the leading rebounder in 17 games … has reached double figures in points in 19 games and recorded eight double-doubles … paced the team at Auburn with 17 points and nine rebounds in just 27 minutes … was limited by foul trouble to just 17 minutes against Mississippi … picked up double-digit rebounds for the third-straight game with 10 boards at Vanderbilt while also handing out a team-high three assists … broke a 33-year-old school record with 26 rebounds, including a school-record 17 on the defensive end against Arkansas, which also tied her for the most by an SEC player since the league began sponsoring women’s basketball in 1982-83 … went on to record a double-double against the Lady Razorbacks, adding a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting … was the lone Gamecock to shine at No. 8 LSU with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 11 rebounds … tied for team-high honors with six rebounds and led the club with five assists against Florida … narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds against Kentucky … was 4-of-5 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line for 13 points at Mississippi, while tying for team-high rebound honors with seven … netted 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go with seven rebounds and five steals … was limited by foul trouble to just 22 minutes at Alabama but reached double figures with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and five rebounds.

Know Your ABCs
Freshman Ashlie Billingslea (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) has played in seven of the last eight games after missing the season’s first 17 games due to surgery on her left knee in mid-September … put up career numbers at Auburn with six assists and five points, including her first career bucket and 3-pointer … snagged a career-high four rebounds to go with a pair of assists in just 11 minutes against Arkansas … handed out four assists and swiped three steals against Kentucky … made her season debut at Mississippi.

That’s Czech Mate
Senior Ilona Burgrova (Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) is second on the team in rebounding with 6.6 boards per game and is adding 9.8 points per contest … has scored in double digits in 13 of the last 19 games … has led the team in rebounding eight times this season and has recorded seven games of double-digit boards … hit 4-of-6 from the field for 10 points and handed out a career-high five assists at Auburn … grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds against Mississippi, just missing a double-double with eight points … netted a team-high 11 points at Vanderbilt on 4-of-8 shooting … added nine points and seven rebounds to the win over Arkansas … tied for team-high point and rebound honors with 12 points and six rebounds against Florida … netted 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds against Kentucky, despite being limited by foul trouble … tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds while shooting 4-of-5 from the field at Mississippi … snagged a career-high 13 rebounds and netted a team-high 16 points against No. 2 Tennessee for her first double-double of the season … scored a team-high 13 points and blocked four shots at Alabama.

What Do You Serve With Brie?
Junior Brionna Dickerson (Columbia, S.C./Heathwood Hall) is third on the team with 10.4 ppg … grabbed four rebounds to go with six points at Auburn … scored a team-high 14 points against Mississippi, matching her career highs in free throws made and attempted … netted 15 points and grabbed six rebounds against Arkansas … added six points, including the 400th of her career, at No. 8 LSU … matched Ilona Burgrova’s 12 points and six rebounds against Florida to tie for team-high honors in both categories … scored nine points and handed out three assists against Kentucky … added eight points and four rebounds at Mississippi.

My Friends Call Me Coco
Redshirt freshman Lauren Falohun (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) has come off the bench in 12 games, including four SEC contests … snagged an offensive rebound and handed out an assist in six minutes at Vanderbilt … saw a career-high 13 minutes against Savannah State, scoring her first career point on a free throw … played a season-high nine minutes against Illinois … grabbed a pair of rebounds in her college debut against Saint Francis (Pa.).

Pastor Jones
Senior Ebony Jones (Aiken, S.C./Aiken) has played in 22 games, including five starts … is scoring 4.7 ppg and is tied for the team lead in 3-point shooting at 36.1 percent … hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points and swiped a career-high four steals at Auburn … sparked the second-half comeback against Mississippi with back-to-back 3-pointers en route to tying her career high of 12 points … keyed the second-half comeback against Florida with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and a career-high five rebounds … hit a pair of 3-pointers en route to eight points at Alabama.

J.J. is Dy-no-mite
Freshman Jordan Jones (Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hill) leads the team in scoring at 12.2 ppg and is shooting 36.1 percent from 3-point range … has scored double-figure points in 17 games and has led the team in scoring seven times … added 12 points, three assists and three steals at Auburn … netted 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, against Mississippi … scored nine points, all on 3-pointers, and swiped four steals at Vanderbilt … netted 10 points and picked up three steals against Arkansas … matched her season high with four assists playing the full 40 minutes at No. 8 LSU … netted 11 points against Florida, hitting three 3-pointers … sparked a comeback against Kentucky with 16 points on 3-of-6 from 3-point range … led the team with 18 points and handed out three assists at Mississippi … played 38 minutes against No. 2 Tennessee, adding eight points and three rebounds … did not start at Alabama after an injury in the previous game limited her practice time, but poured in three 3-pointers during a second-half comeback attempt to finish with nine points.

The Kennedy Legacy
Freshman Samone Kennedy (Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay) has played in 24 games, including five starts … leads the team with 82 assists and has scored 3.8 ppg … ranks among the SEC’s top 10 in assists per game (3.42) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.32) … was second on the team with 10 points, including 4-of-5 from the free-throw line, at Vanderbilt … drew her second-consecutive start at Mississippi and dished out a team-high six assists to just two turnovers … handed out five assists and swiped a pair of steals to go with six points against No. 2 Tennessee … dished out five assists and scored eight points at Alabama.

Jewel of the Nile
Freshman Jewel May (Conyers, Ga./Heritage) has come off the bench in 21 games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds … netted six points in just 12 minutes at Auburn … sank both her field goal attempts in just five minutes at No. 8 LSU … grabbed a career-high six rebounds to tie for team-high honors against Florida … netted 10 points, including six straight during a second-half rally, against Kentucky … picked up a career-high five rebounds at Mississippi and scored seven points … added three points and three rebounds against No. 2 Tennessee … made her SEC debut at Alabama.

And All That Jas
Freshman Jasmine Payne (Bay Springs, Miss./Stringer) has played in 19 games, including three starts, and averages 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds … grabbed a career-high six rebounds and scored all six of her points in the final 3:33 of the first half against Mississippi to send the Gamecocks into the locker room tied … made her third-straight start at No. 8 LSU, grabbing three rebounds … added four points and a pair of offensive rebounds as a starter against Florida … drew her first career start against Kentucky and snagged a season-best six rebounds.

Tolliver Twist
Senior Lakesha Tolliver (Columbia, S.C./Dreher) is third on the team in rebounding at 5.4 rpg and is scoring 8.9 ppg … has played in 19 games, including 13 starts … became the school record holder for career blocked shots against Charleston Southern … has reached double-figure points in eight games … added eight points and four rebounds in just 18 minutes at Auburn … hit 8-of-9 free throws en route to 10 points and handed out three assists against Mississippi … grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots against Arkansas … returned to the lineup at No. 8 LSU after missing the previous six games due to exertional headaches, adding six points and a pair of rebounds in 16 minutes.