CLEMSON BASKETBALL

Tigers' Slide Continues In Atlanta


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ATLANTA - Clemson's recent slide down the Atlantic Coast Conference standings continued in Atlanta Saturday afternoon, thanks in large part to Javaris Crittenton.

Crittenton's career-high 26 points lead Georgia Tech to an 80-62 victory over visiting Clemson. The win snapped the Yellow Jackets' four-game losing streak.

Clemson has now dropped three straight and five of six since opening the season 17-0.

The frustration of the losing, as well as circumstances surrounding the losses, apparently caught up to Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell. Purnell was ejected from the game with 2:42 remaining after a pair of disruptions with the shot clock and - as a final straw - game officials deciding not to call a pair fouls on the Yellow Jackets.

After the clock malfunction at Duke and a missed walking call at the end of the Virginia game last Saturday, Purnell later said he felt like he had to stand up for his team.

But the fit he threw ended having no impact on the game. Clemson trailed Tech (14-8, 3-6 ACC) by 12 at the time and ultimately lost by 18.

Clemson committed 22 turnovers in the game, leading to 27 Georgia Tech points.

James Mays topped the Tigers (18-5, 4-5 ACC) with 15 points, while Cliff Hammonds added 13, Vernon Hamilton 11 and Trevor Booker 10.

Clemson trailed by nine at the half, 36-27, but only got the deficit to single digits because Hamilton beat the buzzer with a jump shot.

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