March 16, 2000
STORRS, Conn. – The Clemson women’s basketball team will play Drake in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Storr, CT Friday (March 17) at 6:00 p.m. The game can be seen state-wide on the SCETV network.
Clemson Head Coach Jim Davis sent his players through a 90-minute workout on Thursday afternoon. Both Clemson and Drake also attended a press conference Thursday and quotes from both Head Coaches follows:
CLEMSON HEAD COACH JIM DAVIS
“It is a pleasure to be here, if I could have had a choice where to play it wouldn’t have been in Storrs, CT. .This is a very tough bracket as far as we are concerned. Drake is very big and very skillful and that is a hard combination to defend. They shoot the basketball really well. They remind us of Duke in our league with their shooting ability, and they have the size of N.C. State. The are shooting 73% from the free throw line and can light it up from the three point range (157-415) .378. They are a very skillful team. Their size concerns us. We work hard defensively, but we are not a good rebounding team. We are going to fight and work very hard every tick of the clock. We are not just happy to be here in the NCAA Tournament. We are going to play hard. I am very proud of this basketball team, their work ethic, and desire. Again, we are glad we are here and this is a great basketball environment.
For us to beat a team like Drake, our defense has to be good. We have to rebound and we have to score with Drake. They can score on the inside and the outside. Almost of their shots they have taken this year are from beyond the three-point stripe. We are good on the free throw line, but we need to be a factor offensively.”
Clemson’s Erin Batth-I believe the competition in the ACC is the best. The ACC competition prepares you for the NCAA Tournament. The coaching staff that we have also prepares us . Coach Davis tells us to respect all and fear none. The ACC competition prepares you. Drake’s inside players can shoot and rebound well. It is going to be a challenge. Drake feeds the post really well. We fought hard this season, and we are glad to be in the NCAA Tournament.
Clemson’s Angie Cossey-“As we study Drake, a different player seems to step up and lead the team. It is going to take a team effort to beat them. I hope we have a good showing this weekend.”
DRAKE COACH LISA BLUDER
“We are excited to be in the NCAA Tournament. We are excited about playing Clemson. They are a great team. Both teams are balanced and deep and both teams are similar because anyone can come off of the bench and contribute. We feel defensively we are similar. I think the teams are a great match up. I think Clemson is a tremendous ninth seed. Clemson beat North Carolina twice this season, and they come from a great league.”
Viewers statewide will be able to watch as ninth-seeded Clemson takes on eighth-seeded Drake. The game will be broadcast live from Storrs, CT. The stations include WITV/7 in Charleston, WEBA-TV/14 Allendale, WJWJ-TV/16 Beaufort, WHMC-TV/23 Conway, WRJA-TV/27 Sumter, WNTV/29 Greenville, WNSC-TV/30 Rock Hill, WJPM-TV/33 Florence, WRLK-TV/35 Columbia, WNEH-TV/38 Greenwood, WRET-TV/49 Spartanburg.
Clemson is seeded ninth, while Drake is seeded eighth. The winner of the game will play the winner of the Connecticut-Hampton game on Sunday March 19 at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN 2 Connecticut is seeded first and Hampton is seeded 16.
Clemson will be making its 13th trip to the NCAA Tournament, the 12th appearance under Head Coach Jim Davis. Clemson has an overall record of 12-12 in the NCAA Tournament over the years, 12-11 under Head Coach Jim Davis. The Lady Tigers have been in the NCAA Tournament’s Final 16 four years, including the 1999 season. Clemson advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Eight in 1991.
The Lady Tigers have an 18-11 record overall. Clemson is led in scoring by freshman sensation Chrissy Floyd as she is averaging 12.2 ppg. The Lady Tigers are led in rebounding by Erin Batth with a 7.4 rpg. mark. Angie Cossey is the Lady Tigers’ second leading scorer with a 9.5 ppg. average. Krystal Scott leads the Lady Tigers in assists with 95 or 3.3 assists per game.
Drake has a 23-6 record overall and won the Missouri Valley Conference regular season with a 15-3 league mark. Drake also won the MVC Tournament. Drake enters the NCAA Tournament riding a seven game winning streak, and has won 10 of its last 11 contests. Drake is led in scoring by freshman center, Carla Bennett with a 14.5 ppg. average. Forward, Haley Sames leads the team in rebounding with a 7.4 rpg. mark.
Clemson has a 2-0 record when playing on St. Patrick’s Day over the years.
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