Tigers Tame Terriers for 10th Win in a Row |
CLEMSON - Heading into a two-week break Oliver Purnell's Clemson Tigers are now a perfect 10.
Trevor Booker scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures, as Clemson improved to 10-0 on the season with a 90-66 victory over visiting Wofford Tuesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum. The game was played before an announced crowd of 6,725. The Tigers now have an extended break, not returning to action until Dec. 19 when they host Georgia Southern. "It's satisfying to be 10-0 at this point," Purnell said. "I'm happy with the way we put the game away in the second half." Wofford (4-6) kept itself in the game through most of the first half with a barrage of 3-point shots from five different players. But better defensive play as the game wore on eventually cooled the Terriers. Beginning at the 2:47 mark of the first half, Wofford went nearly nine minutes without a field goal. The drought allowed Clemson to extend its lead from 45-39 to 57-43 with about six minutes gone by in the second half. "They don't have an interior post game, and that's by design," said Purnell. "So you have to play defense a little more straight up than usual. I thought we got better at it as the game went on." The Tigers put the game away by feeding the ball to Booker, who roamed the paint for 10 of his points in the second half. "He's been outstanding," Purnell said. "I thought he would be the most ready to play of any of the freshman, and he hasn't disappointed. We pulled away there not only with his scoring, but also hitting the offensive glass." Clemson out-rebounded Wofford 40-27, including 13-11 on the offensive end. Booker and teammate James Mays each had six rebounds to lead the team. K.C. Rivers followed Booker in the Clemson scoring column with 18 points, followed by Vernon Hamilton with 13 and Cliff Hammonds with 10. Eric Marshall and Junior Salters scored 20 points each for the Terriers. Clemson looked strong early, bolting out to an 11-2 lead. But Wofford's 3-point shooting brought it back in a hurry. A pair of 3s by Salters, sandwiched around a Marshall short jumper, made up a quick 8-2 run which got Wofford within 22-21 with 9:42 remaining in the half. It was 30-28 Clemson before the Tigers went on a 10-1 run - sparked by 3s from Hammonds and Julius Powell - to push the advantage back up to 11, 40-29. The half ended with the Tigers up nine, 48-39. "We played well against their pressure, especially without a point guard, but we wore down in the second half," said Wofford coach Mike Young. "Clemson had a lot to do with that." The Terriers were 8-of-15 from behind the arc in the first half (11-of-26 for the game). Clemson was 9-of-26 from the 3-point line (34.6 percent), but shot 55 percent overall for the evening (37-of-67).
VISITORS: Wofford 4-6
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