Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 5, 2002
WHEN/WHERE: Noon; Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Gainesville.
TV/RADIO: Ch. 38; WDAE-AM 620, WDCF-AM 1350, WWJB-AM 1450, WXCV-FM 95.3.
RECORDS: South Carolina 10-3, Florida 11-1.
COACHES: South Carolina -- Dave Odom (first season, 288-177 overall). UF -- Billy Donovan (113-57, sixth season; 148-77 overall).
KEY PLAYERS: South Carolina -- Jamel Bradley, G, 6-2 Sr. (14 ppg, 2.5 apg); Marius Petravicius, C, 6-10 Jr. (11 ppg, 7 rpg). UF -- Matt Bonner, F, 6-10 Jr. (15.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg); Udonis Haslem, C, 6-9 Sr. (16 ppg, 8.8 rpg).
NOTES: A limited number of tickets is available. ... After facing the weakest part of its schedule the past couple weeks, the Gators open SEC play today. Florida has lost its past three conference openers, but the Gators open SEC play at home for the first time since 1998, when they beat Tennessee 83-69. Florida is 4-1 in SEC home openers under Donovan. ... The Gators have won 13 consecutive home games, their fourth-longest such streak in school history. ... Former Wake Forest coach Odom has led the Gamecocks to 10 pre-January wins for the first time. The Gamecocks, averaging 8.4 3-pointers, are on a five-game win streak.
WHEN/WHERE: 7; Sun Dome, Tampa.
RADIO: WQYK-AM 1010.
RECORDS: TCU 10-4, USF 9-3.
COACHES: TCU -- Billy Tubbs (150-84, eighth season; 589-286 overall). USF -- Seth Greenberg (83-76, sixth season; 188-146 overall).
KEY PLAYERS: TCU -- Corey Santee, PG, 6-2 Fr. (15.9 ppg, 6.8 apg); Junior Blount, G, 6-0 Jr. (14.9 ppg, 2.1 spg); Bingo Merriex, F, 6-9 Jr. (12.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg); Jamal Brown, F/C, 6-7 Jr. (12.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg). USF -- Altron Jackson, F, 6-6 Sr. (19.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.4 spg); B.B. Waldon, F, 6-8 Sr. (13.6 ppg, 10.0 rpg); Will McDonald, C, 6-11 Jr. (10.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg).
NOTES: The Bulls don't have the time to dwell on their disappointing home loss to FSU. They begin Conference USA play against league newcomer TCU, a team renowned for frenetic pace. ... The Horned Frogs lead the league in scoring (89.9 ppg). ... Junior PG Reggie Kohn (6.6 apg) needs to be at his best running the offense. ... The most telling individual matchup figures to be Waldon on Merriex who, despite his size, is equally dangerous from outside. He's fourth in the league in 3-point shooting (44.9 percent). ... The series is 1-1, but those were in the 1991-92 season.