Clemson wins 30th straight in November
November 23, 2009
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP)—Clemson coach Oliver Purnell thinks his 19th-ranked Tigerscan continue their November success, no matter the opponent.
The Tigers (4-0) won their 30th straight November game since 2005 with a102-66 victory over Winthrop on Monday night. Next up, though, is the 76 Classicin Anaheim, Calif., featuring three other teams ranked in the Top 25.
Does Purnell think the Tigers can match up with the increased competition?
“Yeah, I do,” he said. “Having said that, I haven’t seen any of theteams. It might the Lakers waiting for us out there.”
Right now, the Tigers feel they would even have something for Kobe Bryantand his teammates.
Trevor Booker had 15 points and 11 rebounds and five other Tigers scored indouble figures in the team’s fourth straight blowout victory. Their closestmargin came in last Friday night’s 89-67 win at UNC Greensboro.
Clemson starts the tournament Thursday against Texas A&M, then will take oneither No. 8 West Virginia or Long Beach State on Friday.
“We’re excited,” Tigers forward Tanner Smith said. “We’re ready, though.There are some good teams that are really going to give us challenges.”
Clemson hasn’t often been tested in college basketball’s opening month. It’slast November loss came in 2004 to future Atlantic Coast Conference memberBoston College, 79-70.
Winthrop (2-2) tried to give the Tigers a game, but eventually got run outof Littlejohn Coliseum.
Booker, Clemson’s 6-foot-7 senior, had a three-point play and fadeawayjumper as the Tigers broke on top 12-4 less than 4 minutes in. He really crankedit up to start the second half with six points in a 15-0 run that turnedClemson’s comfortable margin into a blowout.
Booker had his second double-double this season and the 24th of his career.
After a first half slowed by a total of 30 fouls, the Tigers showed theirflash to start the final 20 minutes.
Booker and Smith had baskets and David Potter hit a 3. Smith stole the ballon Winthrop’s next possession, feeding a wide-open Booker for a left-handed jamthat brought down the house.
Booker closed the spurt with a driving scoop shot that put the Tigers up65-32. Purnell applauded his team when the Eagles called a timeout to try andcool off the run.
Purnell said the Tigers paid attention to taking care of the basketball andconverting easy baskets during their run, something they didn’t do earlier inthe game.
“Plus we got to establish Book,” Purnell said of his senior.
Potter, Noel Johnson and Andre Young had 12 points each, while Jerai Granthad 11 and Smith 10.
The Eagles’ frustration showed. George Valentine was called for a first-halftechnical for an elbow to the face of Smith that left a bright, red mark.Winthrop coach Randy Peele later drew a technical as he complained to anofficial.
The Eagles won in their last visit to Littlejohn Coliseum in 2001. That’swhen Winthrop was flying high as a Big South Conference power with eight NCAAtournament appearances between 1999 and 2008.
These Eagles went 11-19 in 2008-09—their first losing season since1997-98.
Peele spent several minutes reminding his players of Winthrop’s past and thelegacy they must uphold.
“I didn’t come to Clemson to get beat by 36 points,” Peele said. “I’mdisturbed by it.”
The only drama down the stretch was if Clemson would top the 100-point markfor the first time since Dec. 23, 2006, when it beat Western Carolina 103-60.
Walk-on Jonah Baize hit a 3-pointer to give the Tigers 99 points with 1:06left, then followed with another long-distance shot from the right corner with11.5 seconds to go.
Justin Burton had 13 points for the Eagles, who committed 26 turnovers.
Grant, the 6-8 son of former Oklahoma standout Harvey and nephew of Tigergreat Horace, took control of the inside with two dunks and two blocks.
Grant had a rebound dunk of a missed jumper by Demontez Stitt to put Clemsonahead 42-27.
Soon after the game, Clemson’s players boarded a bus for Atlanta. They willfly to the West Coast on Tuesday morning.
Purnell’s eager to see how they’ll manage the three days.
“I think we’ve got a pretty good team,” he said.