Tigers Face Orange In NIT Quarterfinals With Trip To Madison Square Garden At Stake

Complete Game Notes in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader

March 20, 2007

70th Annual NIT Site: Clemson, SC Date: Wednesday, March 21 Tickets: Available ($10 adults, $4 children) City: Clemson, SC Time: 7:05 PM TV: ESPN2 – Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes Radio: Clemson Tiger Sports Properties (Pete Yanity, Tim Bourret)

Series Notes Overall: Clemson leads 1-0 at Clemson: First Meeting at Neutral: Clemson leads 1-0 In the NIT: First Meeting Last Meeting: Clemson 78-67 in 1960-61 at Kent, Ohio Clemson History in the NIT Overall: 13-13 at Clemson: 8-3 Best Finish: 2nd in 1999 of the NABC in April.

Clemson History in the NIT Overall: 13-13 at Clemson: 8-3 Best Finish: 2nd in 1999

Quick Facts • Clemson has advanced to the NIT quarterfinals for the fourth time in its history and first time since 1999 when it lost in the finals against California. The other years Clemson reached the quarterfinals were 1986, 1994 and 1999.

• Clemson is coming off an 89-68 win over Mississippi in the second round. The 21-point margin was Clemson’s largest in a post-season game.

• Clemson and Syracuse have not played since the season opener of the 1960-61 season. Clemson won that game in Kent, OH by a 78-67 score behind 23 points from Choppy Patterson and 19 points and 19 rebounds by Tommy Mahaffey.

• Jim Boeheim is the fourth different coach to come to Littlejohn Coliseum as a Hall of Fame Coach. He joins Frank McGuire, Mike Krzyzewski and Dean Smith with that distinction.

• Trevor Booker is Clemson’s fifth leading scorer on the season with a 10.4 average, but he is Clemson’s top scorer in the NIT with a 16.5 figure for the two games.

• Clemson has held the opposition to 7-32 shooting on three-point shots in the two NIT games, 21.9 percent. Syracuse has shot 37 percent on threepoint shots over the season.

• Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim will succeed Clemson Head Coach Oliver Purnell as President

• A victory over Syracuse would give Clemson 24 wins, its high mark since the Tigers won 24 in 1989-90 and tied for the second most in Clemson history. The record is 25 wins by the 1986-87 Clemson team. The 23 wins so far are the most since Clemson had a 23-10 record in 1996-97.

• A victory over Syracuse would give Clemson a win over a Big Ten team (Minnesota), an SEC school (4-0 this year) and a Big East school in the same season for just the second time in history. Clemson also accomplished the feat in 1995-96.

• Clemson is 9-20 against teams currently in the Big East, that includes a 2-3 record in the NIT. Clemson last faced a Big East team in the final game of last year when Louisville defeated the Tigers.

• Clemson’s defense forced 24 turnovers in the win over Mississippi, the most forced by the Tigers since is forced 26 in a win over Georgia on Dec. 28. Cliff Hammonds (6th) and Vernon Hamilton (1st) are now both in the top six in Clemson history in career steals.

• Clemson and Syracuse are both in the top 20 in the nation in blocked shots. Syracuse is fourth and Clemson is 17th.

• Trevor Booker has averaged 13.3 points over his last nine games, including eight double figure scoring games in his last nine outings.