Tigers to Face Villanova in NCAA Tournament First Round Friday Night in Tampa

March 19, 2008

Clemson is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. Clemson last appeared in the event in 1998 and lost in the first round to Western Michigan, 78-74. Clemson last won a game in the NCAA Tournament in 1997 when the Tigers reached the Sweet 16 with wins over Miami (OH) and Tulsa before suffering a double overtime loss to Minnesota.

Clemson’ s best NCAA tournament performance came in 1980 when Clemson reached the Final Eight. That was Clemson’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Clemson has not played Villanova since the 1989-90 season. The Wildcats defeated the Tigers in a Christmas Tournament in San Diego by a 73-71 score. That Clemson team went on to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and won the regular season ACC championship behind Dale Davis and Elden Campbell.

Clemson is coming off an ACC Tournament performance in which it reached the championship game of just the second time in school history, the first time since 1962. Clemson defeated Boston College and Duke before losing to North Carolina. The victory over second seeded and seventh ranked Duke ended a 22-game Clemson losing streak to the Blue Devils.

Clemson had four players named first or second-team All-ACC Tournament. K.C. Rivers and Trevor Booker were first team selections, while James Mays and Cliff Hammonds were second-team selections. It was the most all-tournament selections in Clemson history. In fact, Clemson had had just four first-team all-tournament selections in the previous 54 years of the tournament.

Clemson’s senior class has a record of 84-49. This class needs just one more win to establish a school record for wins. The 1990 seniors also won 84.

Elden Campbell record for wins in a career.

This year’s Clemson team did not lose consecutive ACC games all year. It is the first Clemson team in its 55 year ACC history to accomplish that feat.

Cliff Hammonds made first-team Academic All-ACC and third-team All-ACC on the court this year. He was also second-team All-ACC tournament. He is the first Clemson player to make an All-ACC team and earn Academic All-ACC honors in the same year since 1967 (Randy Mahaffey and Jim Sutherland).

Since down-sizing and then eliminating the protective brace on his broken left hand on Feb. 27, James Mays has shot 36-66 from the field (.545), scored 94 points (13.4), had 44 rebounds and nine steals in seven games.

Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright played against Clemson for Bucknell at Clemson on Dec. 3, 1982. Clemson won the game 85-73. Wright had one assist and one rebound in 15 minutes.