Clemson vs. Southern Illinois Postgame Notes – Diamond Head Classic (Second Round)

Dec. 23, 2011

Team Notes Clemson defeated Southern Illinois, 83-75 in overtime Friday. It was Clemson’s first overtime game of the season, and the Tigers’ second win in extra time under Brad Brownell. The Tigers defeated Seton Hall in November of 2010 in the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam in overtime. Clemson will face the winner of Friday’s late game, Hawaii vs. Xavier, on Sunday. If Xavier wins, the game will be played at 2:00 PM Eastern. If Hawaii wins, it will be at 4:30. The Tigers will play on Christmas Day for the first time in program history on Sunday. Clemson has played both Hawaii and Xavier once apiece, with wins over both. The Tigers defeated Hawaii in overtime in the 1980 Rainbow Classic championship game in Honolulu. The Tigers played Xavier in the semifinals of the 1999 postseason NIT and knocked off a James Posey-led Musketeer squad, 79-76, in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. For the first time this season and first time since Jan. 25, 2011 that the Tigers overcame a halftime deficit to gain victory on Friday. That day, Clemson overcame a five-point deficit at half to defeat NC State at home. Clemson trailed 31-24 at the half in today’s game. Clemson scored 83 points in the win over Southern Illinois, the most points the Tigers have scored since posting 87 in an overtime loss to North Carolina last season. Clemson improved to 8-3 all-time over teams from the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). This marked the first time that Clemson played a school from the MVC since the 2004 Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, when the Tigers beat Indiana State. Clemson scored exactly 24 points in both halves in the opening round loss to UTEP, and then again in the first half of today’s game against Southern Illinois. Clemson went the final 13:36 of the first half without a field goal, its longest drought of the season. The Tigers scored only four points during that stretch, all on free throws. The Tigers had just 25 made field goals in their first three halves of the tournament, but converted 18 in the second half and overtime Friday against the Salukis. Clemson posted season highs Friday in free throws made (26) and attempted (34).

Individual Notes Tanner Smith scored a career-high 26 points Friday. It was the highest point total by any Tiger under second-year Head Coach Demontez Stitt against North Carolina last season in the ACC Tournament. Smith’s 26 points were the most by a Clemson player since Trevor Booker scored 31 against Western Carolina on Dec. 22, 2009. Smith scored on a four-point play at the 12:22 mark of the second half. It was Clemson’s first four-point play since 2008-09 when Terrence Oglesby did it at Boston College in a win. Smith had three steals for the second straight game and now has 125 for his career. He needs 13 to take over 15th place on Clemson’s all-time list. Smith has made at least one three-point field goal in four consecutive games and is 6-for-13 during that same stretch. Devin Booker scored seven of the Tigers’ first 11 points and had nine points six and a half minutes into the game, but was sidelined for most of the rest of the half with two fouls. Booker matched his career and season-high with 16 points; it was the fourth time the Tiger junior has scored 16 points in a game. He had 16 last season against Western Carolina and West Virginia, and also had 16 earlier this year in the loss to College of Charleston. Andre Young made his first three-point try, his first conversion from deep since the Winthrop game. Young was 0-for-11 in games against Alabama State and UTEP coming into Friday. Young needs just five three-point goals to become the sixth Tiger with 200 for a career. Young had a crucial steal late in the second half that led to a score, the 151st of his career. He is tied for 10th in Clemson history on the all-time list with Andre Bovain. Young scored 11 points Friday and needs just 35 to reach 1,000 career points as a Tiger. Young made all six of his free throw attempts and is now 33-of-36 at the line, a 91.7 percent mark. Bryan Narcisse reached double figures in the rebounding column for the first time in his career. He ended the game with 12 in a season-high 31 minutes of play. Narcisse made only his second three of the season in 10 attempts at the 16:10 mark of the second half. Rod Hall posted his career-high with 18 points Friday. The freshman from Augusta, GA had never scored double digits in 11 games entering the tilt with Southern Illinois. Hall had career highs in free throws made (7) and attempted (9) against the Salukis. Hall made his only attempt from three-point distance and is now 4-of-5 on the season from behind the arc.