GoGamecocks.com
USC Gamecocks vs Tennessee Volunteers
Posted on 01.18.09
CommentsWHEN: 3 p.m.
WHERE: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn.
TV: Sportsouth (cable channel 21 in Columbia)
RADIO: WISW-AM 1320
RECORDS: USC 8-8, 0-3; Tennessee 13-3, 2-1
COACHES: Dawn Staley (180-88 in nine seasons, 8-8 in first season at USC), Pat Summitt (996-185 in 35 seasons at Tennessee)
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
South Carolina reverted to its early season ways in a 77-63 loss to Florida on Thursday. It suffered 24 turnovers which led directly to 29 points for the Gators. In the first two SEC games, USC averaged fewer turnovers than its opponent and stayed in both of those game until the final minutes.
The Gamecocks have a woeful history against the Vols. They have lost 35 consecutive games, and during that span they have only kept the final margin under double-digits eight times. Tennessee has been ranked in the top 20 in each of those meetings and has a No. 13 ranking this time. It’s the fourth time in the series history the Vols have been outside the Top 10 when the two teams faced off.
Pat Summitt is inching closer to 1,000 career wins with the youngest team she has ever assembled in her 35 years. Eleven of the 12 players on the roster are freshmen or sophomores, and that has caused some growing pains with three losses already this season.
KEY PLAYER
G Lakeisha Sutton, USC
The freshman has been a key contributor off the bench for USC but had seven turnovers against Florida’s press. She is third on the team in scoring and has an uncanny ability to create her own shot but must protect the ball better when on the floor.
STARTING LINEUPS
GAMECOCKS
| POS. | HT. | NAME | PPG |
| F | 5-11 | C.J. Pace | 6.3 |
| F | 6-4 | Demetress Adams | 11.4 |
| F | 6-1 | Jewel May | 5.3 |
| G | 5-4 | Samone Kennedy | 5.4 |
| G | 5-9 | Brionna Dickerson | 12.7 |
| POS. | HT. | NAME | PPG |
| F | 6-0 | Angie Bjorklund | 12.5 |
| F | 6-3 | Glory Johnson | 12.1 |
| F | 6-3 | Alex Fuller | 6.2 |
| G | 5-2 | Briana Bass | 4.8 |
| G | 6-2 | Shekinna Stricklin | 13.5 |
Even though the Gamecocks have play two of the first three SEC games close, this could be a game much like the contests against Stanford and Connecticut earlier in the year. The Vols cause USC matchup problems with its length and that could be the deciding factor.
— Chris Dearing
Most Viewed Stories
- Notes: Saunders critical of pass opportunities
- Commentary: Play-call duties at heart of debate
- Recruiting: Lattimore, Fulton venture out of state
- Coming unraveled: Hogs handle Gamecocks
- Soccer: Women win SEC title
- Morris: Lack of progress maddening for USC
- Quarles Spends Saturday Night at Death Valley
- QBs aim to be elite company
- Oh, snap: O-line's crumble continues
- Saunders speaks out: Targets a concern
@Nyx.CommentBody@