From: grimlok@hubcap.clemson.edu (Mike Percy)
Subject: Re: Wake Forest forfeits to Rhode Island (NCAA
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 15:27:54 GMT

dhead@comanche.ess.harris.com (David Head) writes:

>In article 1487@hubcap.clemson.edu, grimlok@hubcap.clemson.edu (Mike Percy) writes:
>>Clemson news:  Clemson won its first road game since traveling to
>>Western Carolina last Jan. 29th for a victory (you have to go back to
>>Feb. 21 1990 when Clemson beat Wake Forest for the previous road win --
>>no road wins in 90-91).  Clemson defeated Furman on the road Thursday
>>night and the Citadel in Littlejohn Saturday.  The Tiger's take on
>>Davidson tonight, then go to Charlotte to play App. State in the ACC-SC
>>double header (and Wake Forest will play Davidson), come home for Mercer
>>and Furman before starting the ACC season with games at Duke and at
>>Virginia.  Currently at 5-0, Clemson should be 9-0 when the ACC season
>>starts. 

>And Southern Conference Champions, right????  What is Clemson doing playing
>this many Southern Conference schools? (Furman, Western Carolina, Citadel,
>Appalachian State, Davidson)  I went to Appalachian State and I know we liked
>taking on the bigger schools (I seem to remember a big 3-2 win in soccer over
>Clemson around 1980 or so ... ah well.) but I can't see how this will help 
>Clemson to be competitive with #1 Duke and #5 UNC later in the season.  Of
>course since I also went to Florida State, I guess I shouldn't be too 
>concerned over how competitive Clemson is! :-)  :-)
 
 
Exactly, we can't win the ACC, but maybe we can win the Southern
Conference!  Actually, we aren't playing Western Carolina this year.
Clemson has had Furman and the Citadel on the schedule pretty much full
time, along with South Carolina as in-state games (and tossing in the
odd in-state game against SC State, Newberry, Presbyterian, Charleston
Southern, etc.).  Our home-home situation with Furman this year is a
result of UNC-C realigning their schedule.

As the historic stomping mat of the ACC, tough non-conference teams are
not very interested in playing Clemson when they could have a try at
Duke or UNC and other ACC teams with national recognition.  And Clemson
is usually happy to have a weak schedule in December.  I think that the
perpetual weakness was hurting more than helping, and that the schedule
is better than in recent years, with a few teams who played in last
year's tournament and some others who are bound for this year's.

New bright spots:  For the team who last year set the record for
poorest free throw shooting at 59%, Clemson (6-0) as a team has shot over 65%
(not great, but hey) in every game so far.  Last year, they did that
only 7 times total.  CU is shooting better than 50% from the floor as
well, with very balanced scoring with 1 or 2 in the 20s, 3 more in the
teens, and usually 1 or two more with 8 or 9.  And people who can do it
all too: e.g., senior point guard Chris Whitney scored 20 points, 8
rebounds, 7 assists and had 4 steals against Davidson last night on a
6-12 6-6 shooting night.  Clemson has been fouled far more many times
than they've fouled (one night they shot 28-43 from the line).  Former
UCLA walk-on Lou Ritchie (eligible last week) has added to our bench as
a second capable point guard -- we actually have a bench!

It may not be enough to come out ahead in the conference, but it sure
won't be as ugly as things got last year...

Oh, yeah...even Clemson beat FSU once last year...

Mike Percy             | grimlok@hubcap.clemson.edu  | I don't know about
Sr. Systems Analyst    | mspercy@clemson.clemson.edu | your brain, but mine
Info. Sys. Development | mspercy@clemson.BITNET      | is really...bossy.
Clemson University     | (803) 656-3780              | (Laurie Anderson)