Tigers Down Eagles, 72-60

Dec. 19, 2006

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -James Mays scored 22 points, 12 in the second half, to lead Clemson to a 72-60 victory over Georgia Southern on Tuesday night.

The game marked Clemson’s 22nd consecutive win with Mays in the starting lineup. Other Tigers in double digits were Trevor Booker with 14 points, Vernon Hamilton with 13 points, and K.C. Rivers with 11.

Clemson is off to an 11-0 start for the second consecutive season.

Georgia Southern (6-5) was led by Donte Gennie with 19 points, followed by Dwayne Foreman with 17 points, and Louis Graham with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Foreman was 4-for-4 from behind the arc.

Turnovers and free throw shooting did serious damage to Georgia Southern’s upset bid. The Eagles suffered 24 turnovers and made just 5 of 13 from the line. Four Clemson players – Mays, Hamilton, Rivers, and Cliff Hammonds – had three steals each.

In the first half, the Tigers used a 14-0 run to build a 22-7 lead with 10:03 remaining. Clemson led 34-21 at the half.

Georgia Southern shot 47 percent in the game, while Clemson finished the game at 44 percent.

The Tigers used a 10-1 run late in the game to put away the Eagles.

Booker started the decisive Clemson run with a 3-point play at the 5:13 mark. After the two teams traded single free throws, Mays scored on putbacks on consecutive possessions, and Hamilton added a field goal after an Eagle turnover to give the Tigers a 68-50 lead with 3:14 to play.