Media Relations: Diana Koval Game 29 Office: 803.777.7977 Cell: 314.369.6050 Feb. 26, 2012 Email: [email protected] 2 p.m. Website: www.GamecocksOnline.com Columbia, S.C. Twitter: @GamecocksOnline Facebook: www.Facebook.com/GamecocksOnline Colonial Life Arena (18,000) 2011-12 Schedule South Carolina Gamecocks (20-8, 9-6 SEC) Fri., Nov. 4 Limestone (Exh.) W, 84-53 Head Coach: Dawn Staley Fri., Nov. 11 at Illinois W, 71-52 Record at South Carolina: 62-56 (4th season) Mon., Nov. 14 Alabama A&M W, 60-53 Career Record: 234-136 (12th season) Thu., Nov. 17 at Clemson W, 65-48 Record vs. Arkansas: 1-3 Sun., Nov. 20 #11/12 Penn State (SS) L, 50-55 Wed., Nov. 23 C. of Charleston (SS) W, 59-40 Arkansas Razorbacks (21-6, 10-5 SEC) Sun., Nov. 27 Presbyterian (SS) W, 52-24 Wed., Nov. 30 at Xavier W, 67-56 Head Coach: Tom Collen Sun., Dec. 4 at NC State L, 53-55 Record at Arkansas: 90-63 (4th Season) Sun., Dec. 11 Furman (SS) W, 72-33 Career Record: 307-133 (14th Season) Wed., Dec. 14 South Carolina State W, 66-21 Record vs. South Carolina: 3-2 Carolina’s Challenge (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Sun., Dec. 18 vs. #18/16 N. Carolina W, 79-48 Wed., Dec. 21 Savannah State W, 65-39 Game Information Wed., Dec. 28 at Drexel W, 62-58 Sun., Jan. 1 Alabama* W, 68-42 Arkansas Series: ARK leads 16-8 TV: SEC Network (Cara Capuano and Abby Waner); Thu., Jan. 5 #24/21 Vanderbilt* W, 65-55 In Fayetteville: ARK leads 9-2 In Columbia, airs on WKTC My 63 (TWC Ch. 4) Sun., Jan. 8 at Florida* W, 49-44 In Columbia: SC leads 6-5 Radio: WISW 1320 AM (Brad Muller and Marcy Thu., Jan. 12 at LSU* L, 48-58 At Neutral Site: ARK leads 2-0 Girton); GamecocksOnline.com Sun., Jan. 15 #9/8 Kentucky* L, 58-66 Tickets: $7 adult, $4 youth (17 & under) Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com Thu., Jan. 19 at Auburn* L, 49-53 Sun., Jan. 22 at #25/22 Vandy* (ESPNU) W, 65-60 ot South Carolina Notables Thu., Jan. 26 Ole Miss* (FSN) W, 61-43 Sun., Jan. 29 Mississippi St.* (SECN) W, 69-43 • South Carolina has won nine SEC games for the just the third time in its 21 seasons in the league. The program has Thu., Feb. 2 at #8/8 Tennessee* (CSS) W, 64-60 posted eight or more SEC wins just four times with two of those coming in the Dawn Staley era. The Gamecocks won a Thu., Feb. 9 at Arkansas* L, 47-68 school-record 10 SEC games in 2002. Sun., Feb. 12 Florida* (ESPN2) W, 62-58 • The Gamecocks are 17-0 this season (8-0 SEC) when scoring at least 60 points. Thu., Feb. 16 #18/15 Georgia* (FSN) L, 59-61 • Freshman Aleighsa Welch will not play today due to a right knee sprain suffered in the second half of last Sunday’s game Sun., Feb. 19 at Alabama* (FSN) W, 69-55 at Alabama. She is tentatively expected to return at the SEC Tournament. Thu., Feb. 23 at #13/10 Kentucky* L, 50-53 • Despite missing its leading scorer and rebounder in Aleighsa Welch, the South Carolina frontcourt contributed 23 of the Sun., Feb. 26 Arkansas* (SECN) 2 p.m. team’s 50 points (46.0%) at #13/10 Kentucky on Thursday night, the highest percentage since the group scored 53.8 SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) percent of the team’s 65 points against Vanderbilt on Jan. 5. For the season, the Gamecocks’ six forwards have scored 33.3 Thu., Mar. 1 First Round (FSN) TBA percent of the team’s 60.9 points per game. Fri., Mar. 2 Quarterfinals (FSN) TBA • Playing in the final home game of their careers, this year’s senior class saved the best for last with the program’s best season Sat., Mar. 3 Semifinals (ESPNU) TBA in nearly a decade. This year, South Carolina has its most overall and SEC wins since 2002-03 and the most wins over Sun., Mar. 4 Final (ESPN2) TBA nationally ranked teams since the same year. This season’s elder stateswomen also achieved a few things no other had – a win over Tennessee in Knoxville and season sweeps of Vanderbilt and Florida. All Times Listed as Eastern * indicates SEC game SS is SportSouth; FSN is SportsSouth, Fox Sports Southwest Tale of the Tape and Sun Sports; SECN is SEC Network; CSS is Charter Arkansas South Carolina Sports Southeast. SEC SEC SEC SEC SEC SEC Overall Rank Only Rank Overall Rank Only Rank 21-6 ........................... 10-5................ .................Overall Record .................. .. 20-8........................... 9-6................ 14-2 ............................. 6-2................ ..................Home Record ................... .. 11-3........................... 5-2................ 5-3 ............................... 4-3................ .................. Away Record ................... .... 8-5........................... 4-4................ 2-1 ..................................................... .................Neutral Record .................. .... 1-0................................................. 62.6............ 7th...........61.0...........7th................Points Per Game ................. ...60.9......... 8th...........58.9...........8th 53.1............ 3rd...........56.4...........3rd........... Opp. Points Per Game ............ ...50.0..........1st...........54.6............1st .381............ 9th.......... .381...........9th................Field Goal %age ................. .. .395......... 7th.......... .394...........6th .365............ 3rd.......... .393...........8th........... Opp. Field Goal %age ............ .. .373......... 6th.......... .392...........7th .285............ 8th.......... .267.........10th........... 3-Pt. Field Goal %age ............ .. .279....... 10th.......... .322...........4th Uniform Patch .278............ 4th.......... .314...........8th....... Opp. 3-Pt. Field Goal %age ........ .. .204..........1st.......... .185............1st .635............ 9th.......... .653...........6th............... Free Throw %age ................ .. .577....... 12th.......... .566.........12th 11.6.............................10.5................ .............FTs Made Per Game .............. ...10.7............................9.1................ The Gamecocks have added a patch to their 39.7............ 6th...........36.1.........10th.............Rebounds Per Game .............. ...38.4....... 11th...........37.1...........8th uniforms this season to honor teammate Shelbretta Ball, +3.8............ 5th...........+0.1...........5th.............Rebounding Margin .............. ...+4.8......... 4th...........+2.8...........3rd who was medically disqualified from playing this fall. 13.3............ 5th...........12.9...........4th............... Assists Per Game ................ ...11.4....... 10th...........10.9...........8th The team wanted Brett and everyone watching to know +3.8............ 4th...........+3.7..........2nd............... Turnover Margin ................ ...+3.8......... 3rd...........+0.7...........5th that she will always be an integral part of them and what 9.8.............. 4th.............9.8............1st................ Steals Per Game ................. .....9.0......... 9th.............7.4.........10th they achieve this season. 4.2.............. 6th.............4.3...........5th............... Blocks Per Game ................ .....3.9 ........ 8th.............3.4...........8th A Snapshot of the 2011-12 Gamecocks Probable starters noted by shaded background and are based on previous game Imani Sellers • Has played in 13 games, including five SEC outings Career Highs 5-8 • Jr. • Guard • Holly Hill, S.C. • Tied career high with two rebounds at Arkansas PTS: 3, 2x, vs. Presby, 11/27/11 • Blocked two shots against Furman REBS: 2, 4x, at Arkansas, 2/9/12 0 PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG • Joined team as a walk-on in August 2010 ASTS: 1, 4x, vs. Miss St. 1/29/12 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.2 3.5 • High energy, great teammate STLS: 1 vs. Sav. St., 12/21/11 Ebony Wilson • Has played in 24 games this season Career Highs 5-8 • Sr. • Guard • Newark, N.J. • Provided solid 16 minutes at Alabama, her most in SEC PTS: 8 vs. High Pt., 12/2/09 game this season REBS: 5, 2x, at PSU, 11/21/10 1 PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG • Key to defensive pressure that built 1st-half lead vs. Vandy ASTS: 3 vs. SC St., 12/14/11 1.3 1.1 0.2 0.5 0.1 8.8 • Good defender, especially in applying full-court pressure STLS: 3, 2x, at NC St., 12/4/11 Ieasia Walker • 7th in SEC in assists and steals; 6th in assist-to-TO ratio (1.4) Career Highs 5-8 • Jr. • Guard • Amityville, N.Y. • Has 11 10+ scoring games, team’s top scorer five times PTS: 30 vs. Clemson, 11/18/10 • Handed out 4.5 assists per game over last 10 outings REBS: 11 at Ole Miss, 1/16/11 3 PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG • Eight of 10 points at Alabama came on FTs, tying her ASTS: 7 vs. Ole Miss, 1/26/12 7.8 4.1 3.3 2.0 0.5 30.0 career high STLS: 6 vs. Furman, 12/11/11 Markeshia Grant • 20th in SEC in scoring, fifth in 3-point percentage (.367) Career Highs 5-6 • Sr. • Guard • Tampa, Fla. • Team’s top scorer team-high eight times PTS: 27 at Tennessee, 2/2/12 • Scored double-figures in seven of last 10 games, including REBS: 9 vs. Ole Miss, 3/3/11 5 PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG three 20-point games ASTS: 6 vs. Ala. A&M, 11/14/11 11.1 2.7 1.9 0.9 0.1 26.9 • Saw streak of nine games with at least two 3s end at UK STLS: 3 vs. Clemson, 11/18/10 La’Keisha Sutton • Ranks 26th in SEC in scoring; 13th in league games (11.5) Career Highs 5-8 • Sr. • Guard • Trenton, N.J. • Among SEC top 15 in every shooting %age in league games PTS: 24, 2x, vs. Auburn, 2/20/11 • Has scored 10+ points in 11 of last 14 games REBS: 7, 2x, at Alabama, 2/19/12 11 PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG • Posted 15.7 pts and 5.0 reb per game over last three games ASTS: 8, 2x, vs. Florida, 1/9/11 10.3 2.8 2.7 1.3 0.3 30.0 • Has led team in assists nine times STLS: 7 at Clemson, 11/17/11 Charenee Stephens • Two 10+ scoring games, team’s top rebounder eight times Career Highs 6-0 • Sr.