By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jocelyn Penn scored 35 points and had eight reboundsbut sprained her ankle late in No. 16 South Carolina’s 97-51 defeat of Kentuckyon Thursday night.
Penn injured her right ankle with 6:25 to go when she was fouled going for alayup with the Gamecocks (20-6, 8-5 Southeastern Conference) ahead 81-44.Trainers took her immediately into the locker room and she did not return.
South Carolina coach Susan Walvius said after the game that Penn’s ankle wassprained. Doctors were still evaluating the injury, but Walvius said Pennshould be back by the SEC tournament that begins March 6.
The 46-point margin of victory was the largest ever for South Carolina inSEC play.
Shambrica Jones led the Wildcats (11-14, 4-9) with 14 points. Sese Helm had11 points and seven rebounds. With two three-pointers, sophomore Sara Potts, who finished with seven points, totaled 116 made three-pointers to pass Tiffany Wait (115) for No. 2 on UK’s all-time three-pointer made list in just two seasons. She also broke the school record for most three-pointers made in a season with 66. Stacey Reed previously held the record after hitting 64 three-pointers in the 1992-93 season.
South Carolina’s Cristina Ciocan scored 21 points and had six rebounds andsix assists. Petra Ujhelyi added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Penn’s 35 points were the most for her in an SEC game this season, and herbest outing since setting a school record with 51 points against Stetson onJan. 4.
Penn also had eight steals, tying her with Alabama’s Niesa Johnson for theSEC career record of 350.
South Carolina’s defense stifled Kentucky for the first 13 minutes. TheWildcats missed 15 of their first 17 shots and turned the ball over seven timesas the Gamecocks took a 26-8 lead.
And even after Kentucky finally made some shots, the Gamecocks answered,ending the half on a 16-8 run to lead 42-20 at the break.
South Carolina’s biggest lead at 92-45 came with less than three minutesleft.
The Gamecocks honored Penn and fellow seniors Ujhelyi and Linda Hoglundbefore the game. They leave with South Carolina in much better shape than whenthey came.
South Carolina went 0-14 in the SEC in 1999 during Penn’s freshman year, andonly improved to 3-11 in the league when Ujhelyi and Hoglund debuted.
