March 8, 1998
CLEMSON, SC–Clemson received an NCAA Tournament bid Sunday and will play the University of Miami (FL) at Rushton, LA Saturday, March 14. The winner of this game will play the Holy Cross-Louisiana Tech winner in the second round Monday, March 16, also at Ruston, LA.
The Lady Tigers will play Miami (FL) Saturday at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. The second round game will be played Monday night at 9:00 p.m. eastern time.
The Lady Tigers are seeded sixth in the Midwest Region, while Miami is seeded 11th. Louisiana Tech is seeded third and Holy Cross is seeded 14th.
Miami is 19-9 overall and 14-6 in the Big East. The Hurricanes are led in scoring by Octavia Blue with a 19.5 ppg. average. Kym Hope also averages 18.0 ppg. and 10.4 rpg.
Clemson is ranked 14th in both the Associated Press poll and USA Today polls. This is the highest the Lady Tigers have been ranked this season in both polls. These polls were released March 2.
Clemson has a 24-7 record this season. The Lady Tigers have an 12-4 mark in the ACC. The Lady Tigers finished the season undefeated at home with a 13-0 record. This is the first time the Lady Tigers have ever been undefeated at home.
Clemson is led in scoring by junior Amy Geren with a 13.8 ppg. average. Itoro Umoh is averaging 11.9 ppg. Nikki Blassingame leads the team in rebounding with a 5.0 rpg. mark. Umoh leads the team in assists (129) and steals (73).
Amy Geren and Itoro Umoh were named All-Atlantic Coast Conference as announced by the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association.
Geren was named to the first team, while Umoh was named to the second team.
Clemson tied a school record for most wins in a single season with 24. Clemson tied the 1979-80 team that also won 24 games. 0000
Clemson played in the first NCAA women’s tournament in 1982 against Penn State. Because of the day and time it was played, the Clemson-Penn State game was the first ever NCAA women’s tournament game. The Lady Tigers lost the game 96-75. In the Clemson-Penn State game, former Lady Tiger assistant coach and Clemson great, Barbara Kennedy-Dixon scored the first points in the inaugural women’s NCAA basketball tournament in the Penn State game. Kennedy-Dixon hit a five-foot turn around jump shot from the baseline with 19:20 left in the first half. Kennedy-Dixon finished the game with 43 points, which still ranks third for a single-game scoring performance in the NCAA tournament.
Clemson will be making its 11th NCAA Tournament appearance since the NCAA Tournament was started in 1982. Head Coach Jim Davis has led Clemson to 10 NCAA Tournaments appearances in his 11 years at Clemson. The Lady Tigers have a 9-11 record in the NCAA Tournament. Head Coach Jim Davis is 9-10 in the NCAA Tournament over the years.
CLEMSON’S NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES: 1982, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997. NCAA FINAL EIGHT: 1991NCAA FINAL 16: 1989, 1990, 1991
CLEMSON LADY TIGERS PROBABLE STARTERS (24-7 Overall, 12-4 in the ACC) Foward–#31 Jeanette Davis, 6-2, SR (5.5 ppg., 3.6 rpg.) Forward–#24 Nikki Blassingame, 6-3, JR (7.5 ppg., 5.0 rpg,) Center–#35 Kerri Thomas, 6-3, SR (6.3 ppg., 4.8 rpg.) Guard–#25 Itoro Umoh, 5-7, JR (11.9 ppg., 4.5 rpg.) Guard–#33 Amy Geren, 5-11, JR (13.8 ppg., 3.5 rpg.)Head Coach: Jim Davis (232-109 in 11th season at Clemson, 251-117 career record, in 12th season on NCAA Division I Level)
December 9, 2024
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