USC Women Bring Two To Troy
November 18, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format
| Game Coverage | ||
| USC vs. Long Beach State |  Live Video | |
| USC vs. No. 18 Georgia | Live Video | |
COMING UP NEXT
After a quick trip to the East Coast, USC settles back into the Galen Center for a pair of games coming up on the Trojans' home court. USC (1-1) is first set to host a clash with Long Beach State (0-2) at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 21). The Trojans then turn the corner into its third ranked opponent of the year as USC takes on No. 18 Georgia at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 23).
FOLLOW ALONG
This week's games will be broadcast live through SCTV at usctrojans.com with live video along with audio provided by Jason Schwartz. Live stats through GameTracker for all games also will be available online through the women's basketball page at usctrojans.com.
IN THE NATION
USC is not ranked but is receiving votes in this week's ESPN/USA Today poll. Long Beach State is unranked, and Georgia ranks No. 18 in both polls as of Nov. 15.
INJURY REPORT
USC incoming freshman forward Thaddesia Southall will redshirt this season due to an ACL injury sustained before arriving at USC. Three Women of Troy redshirted last season due to knee injuries -- G Stefanie Gilbreath, F Michelle Jenkins and G Vicky Tagalicod. Gilbreath returned to action for USC's season opener against Gonzaga on Nov. 12, while Jenkins and Tagalicod are expected to return at the start of 2011.
SCOUTING LONG BEACH STATE
The 49ers are 0-2 overall after taking a 71-39 loss at Oregon State and a 74-43 loss at LMU last week. Ashley Bookman is leading LBSU with 7.5 points per game, and Janae Coffee has pulled down 5.0 rebounds per game in the 49ers' first two games. Head coach Jody Wynn -- a former player and assistant coach at USC -- is in her second season at Long Beach State, which went 13-17 overall last season, finishing fourth in the Big West at 9-7. USC is 20-29 all-time against Long Beach State in a history that dates back to 1973. USC has won the past two meetings with the 49ers, including an 83-77 victory last season in Long Beach.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
The Bulldogs won their season opener against Georgia Southern 58-43 and have two games scheduled before coming to USC. Meredith Mitchell and Porshia Phillips each had 11 points to lead Georgia in the opener. Head coach Andy Landers is in his 32nd season at Georgia, which went 25-9 last season and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. USC is 3-2 all-time against Georgia, last facing in the 2008-09 season when the Bulldogs managed a 59-57 win over the Trojans at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas when Georgia was ranked No. 8 in the nation.
DOWNED BY DUKE
To start the week, USC took a whirlwind trip to Durham, N.C., for a visit to No. 5 Duke, in an effort to turn the tables on last year's tight loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium. But the Blue Devils were ready for the Trojans this time. USC had trouble hitting its offensive stride, while Duke put distance between itself and USC down the stretch. The Trojans tallied the first points of the night, but fell prey to a persistent Blue Devil gameplan that interrupted USC's rhythm while Duke capitalized on the other end. Duke finished out the game shooting at a 42 percent clip to overpower USC's 32 percent output. Duke's accuracy from beyond the arc also outmatched the Trojans' as the Blue Devils hit six 3-pointers at a 46 percent push to USC's four on 21 percent shooting from 3-point range. Both teams finished with two players in doubles figures on the scoring front and one in double digits on the boards, but again Duke's all-around effort outpaced the Trojans. Jasmine Thomas had a game-high 14 points to lead the Blue Devils, who had all 10 players who hit the floor score in the game. USC's offensive effort was led by Briana Gilbreath's 10 points - including three 3-pointers for the Trojans - and 10 points from Ashley Corral while Christina Marinacci had her second straight double-digit rebounding night with 10 boards tonight.
SEASON-OPENING UPSET
USC kicked off the season by serving up a win over a ranked opponent, as the Trojans fought back to beat visiting No. 22 Gonzaga on Saturday night at the Galen Center. USC used a 12-0 run early in the second half to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit to get the win behind double-doubles from Briana Gilbreath and Christina Marinacci. The junior Gilbreath finished with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Marinacci had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Cassie Harberts tallied 16 points in her Trojan debut. Gilbreath (15), Marinacci (13) and Cassie Harberts (12) combined to score 40 of the Trojans' 49-second half points to lead the team to victory in the season opener for both schools. USC trailed 44-40 with 14:11 left to go in the game when they scored 12 unanswered points to take a 52-44 lead with 11:41 left to go in the game. Gonzaga responded with a 17-9 run of its own to forge a tie at 61 with five and one-half minutes left. The lead went back and forth five times before the final tie at 67-all with 3:44 left to go. The game also marked the first-ever game action for redshirt sophomore Stefanie Gilbreath, who has been sidelined for three straight seasons due to knee injuries. Stefanie tallied her first points and first rebound in her five minutes on the floor for her collegiate debut.
AWARD-WINNING OPENING
Briana Gilbreath has kicked off the season with a bang, standing as the first player of the season to pick up Pac-10 Player of the Week honors. It's the first career selection for Gilbreath, who opened the year with a double-double to lead USC to an upset win over No. 22 Gonzaga in the Trojans' season opener. Gilbreath had a game-high 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, scoring 15 of her final 21 points during the second half in helping to push USC to a comeback win. The 21-point outing was just a point away from Gilbreath's career high,
ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS
The USC roster is loaded up with six All-American honorees. Five returning players were McDonald's All-Americans on their way into Troy: Ashley Corral, Jacki Gemelos, Briana Gilbreath, Stefanie Gilbreath and Christina Marinacci. Also coming in with All-American accolades is WBCA honoree Cassie Harberts, who kicked off her career as a Trojan with a 16-point outing in her USC debut.
JACKI'S BACK
After almost four years on the sidelines with knee injuries, Jacki Gemelos -- a high school All-American and the nation's top recruit as a freshman in 2006 -- took to the court for the first game action of her Trojan career on Feb. 4, 2010 at Cal. She already has completed her undergraduate degree, but this week, she's playing in the first USC season opener of her career. Now currently pursuing a master's in gerontology, Gemelos starts her first full season of competition healthy and strong. Gemelos has been granted one more season of eligibility after this 2010-11 season.
LEADING THE PAC
USC has four Pac-10 honorees back on the roster this season. Junior guards Ashley Corral and Briana Gilbreath were USC's leading scorers last year, and both landed on the 2010 All-Pac-10 Team as sophomores. Gilbreath was the Pac-10's Co-Defensive Player of the Year as well. Senior center Kari LaPlante earned 2010 Pac-10 Defensive Honorable Mention, and forward Christina Marinacci was a Pac-10 All-Freshman Honorable Mention recipient last season.
LAST YEAR
Under first-year collegiate head coach Michael Cooper -- a former NBA star with the Los Angeles Lakers and a WNBA head coach for the Los Angeles Sparks -- USC finished 19-12 overall and carried a six-game winning streak into the Pac-10 Tournament semifinals. With Cooper's guidance, the Women of Troy set several new program records in that 2009-10 season, posting USC's best-ever free-throw percentage (.725) while tallying the fewest turnovers (462) and fewest fouls (484) committed in Trojan history.
SENIOR STRENGTH
At the head of the class for 2010-11 is 6-foot-5 senior center Kari LaPlante -- one of only two true seniors on the USC roster. She and Michelle Franco were USC's lone freshmen in 2007 and will finish their careers having split time between two different coaching staffs at Troy. Under the defensive-minded Cooper's guidance last year as a junior, LaPlante picked up accolades with Pac-10 All-Defensive Honorable Mention.
GREAT PATIENCE
Arguably the most inspiring aspect of the year to come is seeing two hard-working Trojans finally take the floor for their first full seasons at USC. After being knocked back by multiple knee injuries, the 2006 top recruit in the nation and McDonald's All-American Jacki Gemelos returned to competition for the final 11 games of last season. Meanwhile, stuck on the sideline for her third straight season due to knee injuries was Stefanie Gilbreath -- another McDonald's All-American out of high school. It's been a heartbreakingly long road back for both Women of Troy, but this season marks a long-awaited milestone for Gemelos and Gilbreath. They both appeared in USC's season opener, and have stepped right into their roles as contributors for the Women of Troy.
FAMILY REUNION
When Stefanie Gilbreath hit the court for the first time in USC's season opener on Nov. 12, it was a long-awaited on-court reunion for USC's sister act. Older by a year, Stefanie now beats out junior sister Briana in remaining eligibility. It's been four years since the pair lasted suited up in the same uniform for gametime -- when Stefanie was a senior in high school and Briana was a junior at Cinco Ranch High in Katy, Texas. They both came out of high school as McDonald's All-Americans, although Stefanie's knee troubles stalled out her Trojan debut while Briana picked up Pac-10 Freshman of the Year recognition and All-Pac-10 Team honors in her first two seasons at USC.
PAC-10 COMES HOME
As in 2009 and 2010, postseason play kicks off on USC's home court. This season's 2011 Pac-10 Tournament will have a somewhat difference format from past seasons in that action will be split between the Galen Center and Staples Center. The first two round of play are all lined up for USC's home court of Galen Center. The semifinals and championship game, however, will move over to Staples Center to run alongside the Pac-10 Men's Tournament. The women's tourney will run March 9-12. Visit www.pac-10.org for more information and for tickets.
THE NEW CLASS
The other key element of added success for USC in the coming season is Michael Cooper's first class of recruits. Ranked No. 7 in the nation (according to hoopgurlz.com) as a group, the newest Trojans on the roster are a well-rounded group of impact players. USC's 2010 freshman class includes WBCA All-American Cassie Harberts, who comes in as the nation's No. 11 ranked recruit. Speedy guard Len'Nique Brown and the versatile Desireé Bradley bolster the Trojan backcourt with even more firepower. The rest of the freshman class includes two true posts in 6-4 Lauren White and 6-4 Thaddesia Southall, although Southall will be sidelined for the year in recovering from knee surgery for an injury sustained in her final high school season.
