Tigers Host Virginia, Raise Awareness for Samaritan's Feet Thursday

Game Promotions:

• The first 400 students at the game will receive a free Clemson pom beanie.
• The coaching staffs for both Clemson and Virginia will be coaching in bare feet on Thursday night, to raise awareness for Samaritan’s Feet, an organization that provides shoes to children in need.

Game Information:Who: Virginia Cavaliers (12-5, 1-3 ACC) at Clemson Tigers (11-7, 0-5 ACC)When: Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.Where: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, S.C.TV: ACC Network Extra, Don Munson & Bob Mihalic (http://es.pn/2iAHnjJ)Radio: CTSN, William Qualkinbush & Kelly Gramlich (http://bit.ly/1NT0HAo)Live Stats: ClemsonTigers.com (http://statb.us/b/145257)Follow: Twitter & Instagram @ClemsonWBB 

Clemson Notes:

• Clemson (11-7, 0-5 ACC) is coming off of an 86-27 loss to No. 7/7 Florida State on Sunday, Jan. 15. The Seminoles were the fifth top-25 team the Tigers have faced so far this season, and the highest-ranked since they met No. 6/6 South Carolina on Dec. 15, 2016 in Columbia, S.C.
• Freshman Kobi Thornton scored a career-high 18 points (8-14 fg) and tallied six rebounds at Wake Forest on Jan. 12. Thornton is averaging 8.0 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Her scoring average is seventh among freshmen in the ACC, while her rebounding average is fourth-best among rookies in the conference.
• Junior Nelly Perry leads the Tigers in scoring (14.5 ppg), assists (3.4 apg) and minutes played (31.5 mpg). Her 14.5 ppg scoring average is 11th-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
• Sophomore Aliyah Collier leads the team in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and is second on the team in scoring at 10.1 ppg. Collier is shooting .542 (64-for-118) from field goal range, a figure that is 11th among conference players. Her rebounding numbers are also among the best in the ACC, as she ranks ninth in rebounds per game (7.3) and ninth in92 defensive rebounds per game (4.8).
• Three members of the Clemson staff, Head Coach Audra Smith, Assistant Coach Tiffany Sardin, and Director of Operations Kathy Becker are former players and graduates of Virginia. Smith played from 1988-92, during which time the Cavaliers went to three NCAA Final Fours and won two ACC Championships. Sardin played for Virginia from 2002-06 and Becker played from 1998-2002.
• Sophomore Danielle Edwards has started all 18 games for the Tigers at the point guard position and is third on the team in scoring at 10.1 ppg. She leads the team in steals (2.1 spg), a figure which is 10th in the ACC. Edwards’ .839 free throw percentage (47-for-56) is seventh in the conference.
• Before falling to No. 25 Oregon on Dec. 12, Clemson won its first eight games of the season, the program’s best start since the 1998-99 season. Clemson entered ACC play with an 11-2 record, the program’s best non-conference record since the 2003-04 season. 

Series Information:

• Virginia leads the all-time series between the two teams, with a 41-30 advantage. Clemson has a narrow 16-15 advantage in games played in Littlejohn Coliseum.
• Last season, the Tigers lost a 65-48 decision to the Cavaliers in Charlottesville, Va. on Feb. 21, 2016. Aliyah Collier was just shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds in the contest.