Basketball Faces Road Challenge at #17 Boston College

Feb. 10, 2006

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Clemson at Boston CollegeFebruary 11, 2006

This is the third consecutive year Clemson has faced BostonCollege. Clemson is the only ACC school to face the Eagles each ofthe last two seasons. Both games were obviously non-conferencegames as the Eagles did not join the ACC until this season. Clemsongave Boston College a tough game at Boston last year in a 79-70Eagles win that was played the day after Thanksgiving. It was oneof 20 consecutive wins for Boston College to open the season.Clemson defeated a Boston College team that advanced to the NCAATournament in 2003-04, Oliver Purnell’s first year at Clemson. TheTigers won that contest 72-62 as then freshman Vernon Hamilton hada near triple double, as he contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds andnine assists. Clemson has two leaders in ACC stat categories.Vernon Hamilton leads the league in steals (2.65). Both are rankedin the top 20 in the nation of those categories. Robinson is thirdin the nation in free throw shooting and Hamilton is 18th insteals. Oliver Purnell’s daughter, Lindsay is a junior at BostonCollege. Robinson has made 19 consecutive free throws and his .938percentage for the season is on pace to be the third best singleseason percentage in ACC history, the best in Clemson history.Clemson had struggled from the foul line as a team for most of theyear, but the Tigers have now made 33 of their last 42 (.786) overthree games. That includes a 13-15 performance against VirginiaTech, Clemson’s best percentage under Oliver Purnell’s. AkinAkingbala never had a double-double in an ACC game prior this lastweek and now has done it in consecutive games. He had 16 points and13 rebounds against Virginia Tech. Shawan Robinson is averaging15.0 points and Akin Akingbala 14.6 over the last five games.Clemson shot 48 percent from the field, 41 percent on three-pointshots and 86.7 from the line, yet lost to Virginia Tech. The Hokiesforced 25 turnovers with 21 steals. Clemson’s coaching staff willwear sneakers for Saturday’s game with Boston College in support ofthe NABC’s Coaches vs. Cancer campaign. Many coaches from aroundthe nation will be showing their support by wearing sneakers duringgames this weekend. K.C. Rivers had 11 points against VirginiaTech, his high in an ACC game this year. Clemson is 9-1 all-timeagainst Division I teams from the state of Massachusetts.