Clemson vs. Syracuse

March 21, 2007

Recap |  Box Score |  AP Photo Gallery  |  Photo Gallery 

*K.C. Rivers led Clemson to victory over Syracuse tonight with 29 points. That was Rivers career high and the most by a Clemson player in a game all season. His previous season and career high was 24 against Appalachian State on 11-17-06 and 24 vs. Western Carolina on 12-23-06. He had 21 points at the half, the most points by a Clemson player in a half this year. Rivers 29 points were the most points by a Clemson player since Vernon Hamilton had 31 against Duke on 1-6-06.

*Rivers 29 points were the most points scored by a Clemson player in a post-season basketball game since Horace Grant scored 33 in the first round of the NIT against Middle Tennessee State in 1986. It was the third most points scored in any post-season game in Clemson history. Larry Nance has the record with 34 against Temple in 1981 NIT, the last game of his Clemson career.

*Clemson made 9-19 three-point shots this evening for a .474 figure. It marked the sixth time this year Clemson made at least 45 percent of its three-point shots. Clemson is 5-1 in those games this year with the only loss coming at Maryland on January 13. Clemson was 8-17 in that game in College Park for a .471 figure.

*Tonight’s game marked the eighth time this year Clemson has made nine or more three-point goals in a game. The Tigers are now 8-0 this season when they make at least nine three-point shots.

*David Potter scored a key field goal with 28.2 seconds left to give Clemson a 69-66 lead. His field goal came off an offensive rebound. It was just his 14th offensive rebound all year and his first since February 18 against Maryland.

*Tonight’s attendance was 10,000, the high mark in Clemson history for an NIT game. It was Clemson’s fifth sellout of the year, the most since the 1997-98 season. Tonight was Clemson’s ninth consecutive home NIT win. Clemson has not lost a home NIT game since March 12, 1982 to Mississippi, 53-49.

*Clemson now has 24 victories this season, tied for the second most in Clemson history and the most since the 1989-90 season (24-8). Clemson can tie the school record for wins with a victory in the NIT semifinals. The Tigers had a 25-6 record in 1986-87.

*Clemson improved to 17-0 this season in non-conference games. Clemson and Oregon are the only undefeated teams in non-conference play this year. The 17 non-conference wins are a school record. The previous best was a 16-3 record in non-conference play in 1985-86.

*This is just the second time Clemson has advanced to the NIT finals in Madison Square Garden. The Tigers also reached the Final Four in 1999. That Clemson team defeated Xavier in the semifinals before losing to California, 61-60 in the finals.

*Clemson defeated a Syracuse team coached by Hall of Fame mentor Jim Boeheim this evening. It marked the first time Clemson had defeated a Hall of Fame coach (in the Hall of Fame at the time of the game) since a 77-69 win over North Carolina and Hall of Fame Coach Dean Smith on February 17, 1994. It was the first time Clemson defeated a Hall of Fame coach anywhere since the 1996 ACC tournament when Clemson defeated Smith and the Tar Heels 75-73 in Greensboro.

*Oliver Purnell has now tied his personal high for wins in a season. He also had 24 wins at Dayton in his final season with the Flyers (2002-03).