Tigers to Face ETSU in NIT First Round Game Wednesday at Littlejohn Coliseum

March 12, 2007

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70th Annual NIT Site: Clemson, SC Date: Wednesday, March 14 Tickets: Available ($10 adults, $4 children) City: Clemson, SC Time: 6:00 PM TV: ESPNU (Rich Waltz,Larry Conley) Radio: Clemson Tiger Sports Properties (Pete Yanity, Tim Bourret)

Series Notes Overall: Clemson leads 6-0 at Clemson: Clemson leads 6-0 at Littlejohn: Clemson leads 6-0 Last Meeting: 80-72 Clemson in 2005-06 at Clemson

Clemson in the NIT Overall: 11-13 at Clemson: 6-3 Last Appear: 1-1, 2005-06 Best Finish: 2nd in 1999

Quick Facts • Clemson is the number-one seed in the South Regional of the NIT. The Tigers have won each of their last six NIT home games. The last loss at home came on March 12, 1982 in a game to Mississippi.

• Clemson has a combined 20-3 record against the other seven teams in the South Region over the years, including a 15-2 ledger at Littlejohn Coliseum. As the number-one seed in the South, Clemson is guaranteed of playing home games in the first three rounds as long as it can keep winning.

• Wednesday’s game with East Tennessee State will mark the second time Clemson has faced a coach named Bartow in the NIT. ETSU coach Murry Bartow is the son of Gene Bartow, who Clemson faced in the 1993 when the Tigers lost to UAB in the second round, 65-64.

• This will mark the third time in the last four years that Clemson has played East Tennessee State. The two teams met last year at Clemson, a 80-72 Tiger victory behind 21 points from Cliff Hammonds. The Tigers won a 100-86 overtime thriller at Clemson in 2003-04, Oliver Purnell’s first year.

• Clemson has a 11-13 overall record in the NIT dating to the 1975 Tournament when all 16 teams went to New York. The Tigers lost that first NIT game to Providence, 91-86. Clemson has been to the NIT more than any other ACC school.

• Clemson has five players averaging in double figures entering the Mastercard NIT. Clemson has finished a season with five players averaging in double figures just once, the 1969-70 season.

• Clemson’s 21 wins so far this year, just the eighth 20-win season in school history.

• Trevor Booker had 18 points on 9-13 shooting in the ACC Tournament game against Florida State. He led the Tigers in scoring in that game, just the fourth time this year he has done that. Booker now has 69 blocked shots for the season, second among freshmen in Clemson history.

• Cliff Hammonds has played in three NIT games in his career and has averaged 18.6 points per game in those contests. He had 26 points as a freshman at Texas A&M in an NIT game, still his career high. Last year he tied his career high for rebounds with eight against Louisiana Tech in an NIT game.

• Oliver Purnell’s has a 7-7 in the NIT in his coaching career. He took Dayton to the quarterfinals in 2001.

• Clemson has a 6-1 record against the other teams in the NIT this year.

• Each of Clemson’s last five games have been decided by five points or less.

• Clemson is 13-4 at home this year. Clemson has averaged 72.9 points per game at home and 72.9 overtime, @ACC Trn, Tampa, FL points per game on the road this year.