#9 Tiger Men’s Basketball Team to Play Host to #2 Wake Forest Saturday

Jan. 15, 2009

Watch Coach Purnell’s Preview Press Conference on All-Access

Game Setup Site: Littlejohn Coliseum (10,000) Date: Saturday, January 17, 2009 City: Clemson, SC Time: 3:35 PM Television: ABC (Brent Musburger, Steve Lavin) Radio: Clemson Tiger Radio Network (Pete Yanity, Tim Bourret) Rankings: Clemson – #9 USA, #10 AP, Wake Forest – #2 AP, #3 USA

Series History Overall: Wake Forest leads 95-52 at Clemson: Clemson leads 35-34 at Littlejohn: Clemson leads 21-18 at Wake Forest: Wake Forest leads 51-12 at Neutral: Wake Forest leads 10-5 First Meeting: Wake, 40-34 in 1925-26 Last Year: Clemson 80-75 (OT) at Clemson, 2007-08 Streak: Clemson won 1 in row, Wake Forest won 14 of 17 Next Game: at Wake Forest, March 8

Quick Facts Clemson has won 16 consecutive games. A victory on Saturday will tie the Clemson record for the longest winning streak in Clemson history at any point in a season. Clemson has also won 16 consecutive home games dating to a 82-72 loss to Charlotte on Jan. 9, 2008.

Saturday’s game is just the fifth matchup of two top 10 teams in the history of Littlejohn Coliseum, the first since 1996-97. Clemson is 2-2 in the previous four top 10 matchups at Clemson.

Clemson is the only school in the nation with a home winning streak and a road winning that ranks in the top 10 among active streaks. Clemson has won four straight on opponent’s home courts, tied for sixth best in the nation. Clemson’s home winning streak is fourth best in the nation.

Junior forward Trevor Booker needs just five points to reach 1000 for his career. He ranks in the top 40 in the nation in blocked shots, rebound average and field goal percentage.

K.C. Rivers can become the winningest player in Clemson history with a win over Wake Forest. He has played in 84 wins, the same total as Cliff Hammonds (2004-08) and Elden Campbell (1986-90). He has played in 26 wins over ACC teams, just six short of the Clemson record.

The Tigers are 16-0 for the second time in the last three seasons. In 2006-07, Clemson was the nation’s last remaining unbeaten team at 17-0. The Tigers are one of only three undefeated teams remaining in Division I. The others are Wake Forest, and #1 ranked Pittsburgh.

Clemson is ranked 9th in the lastest USA Today poll and 10th by AP. This is Clemson’s highest ranking in any poll since Nov. 16, 1997 when the Tigers were fifth by AP and seventh by USA. Clemson has been ranked each of the last five weeks.

Clemson has held the opposition to 55 points per game and 35 percent field goal shooting over the last two games. Clemson has had 24 steals and 15 blocked shots over the last two games.

Clemson is looking to start 3-0 in the ACC for the first time since 2006-07 and for just the fifth time in school history.

Clemson and Wake Forest have played four straight games decided by two points or in overtime. That includes last year when Clemson won at Clemson, 80-75 in overtime.

Clemson is ranked third in the in the nation according to the latest RPI.

A win on Saturday would clinch a winning month of January for the Clemson program for the first time since January of 1997. That is Clemson’s only winning January since 1990.