No. 18 Clemson Defeats Virginia, 75-57

March 3, 2009

CLEMSON, South Carolina (AP) – Terrence Oglesby scored 18 points and No. 18 Clemson used its inside power to snap a two-game skid with a 75-57 victory over Virginia on Tuesday night.

The Tigers (23-6) improved to 9-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, guaranteeing back-to-back winning seasons in the league for just the second time in school history.

Clemson also held Virginia’s star freshman, Sylven Landesberg, to three foul shots. Landesberg came in averaging 17.4 points, but missed all six shots he took.

Calvin Baker had 18 points to lead the Cavaliers (9-17, 3-12), who’ve lost four in a row.

The Tigers had lost back-to-back games to Virginia Tech and Florida State. It was only the second time this season they had lost consecutive games. They trailed the Cavaliers 33-32 early in the second half.

But Oglesby’s outside touch and an assortment of dunks from forwards Trevor Booker, Raymond Sykes and Jerai Grant helped Clemson pull away.

Sykes finished with 14 points while Booker had 13 points and 15 rebounds, his 11th double-double this season.

The Tigers needed a little more than a half to get themselves going in their final regular-season home game. Then they put on a show.

Booker got things started with a dunk that gave Clemson a 38-33 lead. Sykes, one of two seniors in the Tigers starting lineup, followed with a right-handed throwdown moments later.

Grant, the son of former Oklahoma star Harvey Grant, added a dunk to stretch the lead to 44-35.

Booker used the left hand for his next jam, sending Littlejohn Coliseum into a frenzy and putting the Tigers ahead 50-35.

Just for fun, Booker used both hands to jam it home with 3:54 left and his team up 71-51.

Virginia didn’t help itself with three technical fouls, one in the first half on coach Dave Leitao and two others after the break.

Baker showed his frustration slamming the ball hard to the floor after a foul call. Later, John Brandenburg had a prolonged scream after blocking Demontez Stitt’s shot that the officials did not like.

Oglesby made the Cavaliers pay, hitting all six foul shots. He finished 10-of-10 from the foul line.

Before the game, Clemson coach Raymond Sykes.

Purnell saw a lot to cry about early on from his Tigers.

Baker scored nine of Virginia’s first 13 points to pull the Cavaliers in front, 13-9. Then after the Tigers used a 13-0 spurt the next three minutes, Virginia answered back with an 10-0 run of its own to move back in front.

Leitao looked like he hurt his team’s cause, getting whistled for a technical with 9:07 left when he came out near the 3-point line to complain about a no call.

However, Virginia began its surge soon after and held the Tigers scoreless for more than four minutes.

Clemson had committed 23 turnovers, its most in 107 games, to fall at Florida State this past Saturday. The Tigers again struggled handling the ball again in the first 20 minutes, giving the ball over 10 times.

Freshman Andre Young’s 3-pointer from the right corner with 47 seconds left sent Clemson into the locker room ahead 32-31.