Men’s Basketball to Host Coppin State Tonight

Nov. 21, 2005

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This will be Clemson’s first game against Coppin State sincethe 1990-91 season. That year Clemson played the Eagles in thefirst round of a Christmas Tournament at Florida AtlanticUniversity. The Tigers won the game on a tip-in by senior ColbyBrown with one second left to give the Tigers a 71-70 win. FangMitchell, the coach of the Eagles today, was the head coach forCoppin State in that game as well. This will be the second of threegames against MEAC teams to open the season for Clemson. The Tigersare 19-1 lifetime against MEAC schools, including the victory overBethune Cookman last Friday night. Clemson won its 21st consecutiveseason opener with a 84-55 victory over Bethune Cookman on November18. Clemson had a 40-point halftime lead (57-17) in gaining thevictory. It was the largest halftime lead for the Tigers since the1985-86 season when Clemson had a 60-14 win over Armstrong State.Shawan Robinson led the Tigers to the 29-point win over BethuneCookman with 18 points in just 14 minutes. It marked the first timea Clemson player has had more points than minutes played since the2000-01 season when Will Solomon had 26 points in 25 minutes.Robinson also had a rare four-point play in the first half of thecontest, the first time in two years Clemson had a player convert afour-point play. Robinson made four three point goals in theopening win over Bethune Cookman and now has 144 for his career. Heneeds just three more to move into fourth place in Clemson historyahead of Andrius Jurkunas, who had 146 between 1995-99. “EnergyBrothers” James Mays and Sam Perry both had career highs with thenumber 14 in the win over Bethune Cookman. Perry tied his careerhigh in scoring with 14 points, while Mays had a career high 14rebounds. In fact, Mays rebound total doubled his previous best ofseven set his freshman year. Clemson picked up where it left offlast year in terms of pressure defense and making steals. TheTigers had 17 steals in the contest,led by freshman K.C. Rivers,who had four. Clemson averaged 10.2 steals a game last year to rankseventh in the nation. Clemson had at least double figures insteals in 18 games last year, most in Clemson history. Coppin Statehas lost three games to open the season, but each of the last twogames have been onepoint losses (Lehigh and at Alabama State).Coppin State is in the second game of 12 consecutive road games.Among the places Coppin State will visit are games against rankedopponents from UCLA, Oklahoma, Illinois and Michigan State.