Clemson Plays Host To Charleston Southern

Dec. 21, 2001

Clemson, S.C. — Clemson will play host to Charleston Southern in the final game prior to Christmas on Saturday at 4:00 PM at Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson enters the game with a 7-4 record, but is coming off a 66-61 defeat against Winthrop. Charleston Southern enters with a 3-6 record after consecutive losses to ACC teams Virginia and NC State earlier this week.

Clemson is led in scoring by Chris Hobbs, a 6-7 sophomore who is averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Four Tigers are averaging in double figures. Point guard Edward Scott has a 11.4 scoring average and an ACC best seven assists per game. Ray Henderson has a 101. scoring average and pulls in 9.3 rebounds per game.

Clemson’s top player of late has been the team’s only senior, Jamar McKnight. The 6-5 wing has had consecutive 20 point scoring games and is averaging 10.6 points a game for the year. He has made 11 of his last 23 three-point shots and has made 22-39 from the field overall for the last three games. He had 20 points in the five-point loss to Winthrop.

Clemson must improve on its three-point shooting if it is to gain victory on Saturday. Clemson made just 5-29 three-point attempts against Winthrop and has made just 20.5 percent of its three point attempts at home this year.

Jim Platt is the head coach at Charleston Southern. A former assistant at DePaul under Joey Meyer, Platt’s team is led in scoring by guard Gene Granger, who has an 11.1 scoring average. He is the only player averaging in double figures. Point guard Ed O’Neil is scoring 5.8 points a game, while Charles White, a 6-6 forward, is the top rebounder with 4.8 per game.

Clemson leads the all-time series 14-0 and all 14 games have been decided by 10 points or more. One of the most exciting games in the series took place in December of 1993 when Clemson won in Charleston 120-103. That is still the highest scoring game in Clemson history for two teams combined and is the sixth highest scoring output by the Tigers in history.