Lady Tigers Back in Action Friday at 7:00 PM

Dec. 29, 2011

Game Setup:Clemson Lady Tigers v. UAB BlazersDate: Friday, December 30, 2011Time: 7:00 PMCity: Clemson, SCSite: Littlejohn ColiseumRadio: WCCP-FM 104.9; WCCPFM.com(Roy Philpott – play-by-play, Kanetra Queen – color)Webcast: TigerCastLivestats: GametrackerPromotions: Camper Reunion Day; Free Admission for Elementary Students Game Notes | Watch Live | Gametracker The Clemson women’s basketball team will take on the UAB Blazers on Friday at 7:00 PM at Littlejohn Coliseum in their final tune-up before conference play begins after the New Year. Clemson (4-6, 3-3 home) will play its first game in eight days, while the Blazers (8-2, 3-2 road) have been off since Dec. 19. The Lady Tigers open a 16-game ACC slate on Jan. 2 with Virginia Tech coming to town before heading to Tallahassee to take on Florida State. Friday’s game is Camp Reunion night. Anyone who attended the 2011 Clemson Basketball camps are encouraged to wear their t-shirt to receive free admission. The Blazers are one of the best defensive teams in the nation, holding opponents to 46.8 points per game, which ranks among the top five nationally. The Blazers do a good job of holding on to the ball as well, ranking among the nation’s best at 12.8 turnovers per game. That’s one area Clemson has improved lately as well. After averaging 20.7 turnovers per game the first seven contests, the Lady Tigers have turned it over just 15.7 times each game over the last three contests, including a season-low 13 against Providence. The stat indicates the maturity of Clemson’s young team, which has played freshmen 53 percent of all minutes this season. Three freshmen are averaging more than 23.0 minutes per game, including two who rank among the top six in the ACC in minutes per game among all players. Freshman Nikki Dixon leads Clemson at 14.2 points per game, ranking seventh in the ACC, and is sixth in the league at 2.4 steals per game. Dixon leads all ACC freshmen in scoring and is one of just four freshmen among the top 25 in the conference in scoring. She has hit double-figures in points in all ten games this season to start her career.  Shaniqua Pauldo is averaging 11.7 points per game off the bench, and has netted 20-plus three times this season. The center is also averaging a career-best 5.6 rebounds per game, and needs 152 points for 1,000 in her career. Chelsea Lindsay leads Clemson in minutes per game at 32.5, which ranks fifth in the league. The freshman from Durham has a 39-27 assist-turnover ratio, which ranks 12th in the ACC and 3rd among all league freshmen. A third major freshman weapon has been Kelly Gramlich, who ranks in the top four in the ACC in three-pointers made and percentage. The Austin, TX native has hit 11 of her last 14 attempts from beyond the arc.