Thursday Thoughts
Virginia Tech Review
Road conference wins are few and far between for Clemson basketball so I'll take last night's 56-49 win at Virginia Tech.
The Tigers improved to 12-4 overall and 3-1 in the ACC while Virginia Tech fell to 8-8 and 1-3 in the league. Clemson has a chance to go 4-1 in the conference with a win Saturday at home against Wake Forest.
This was a tough night offensively as only KJ McDaniels and
Rod Hall
Rod Hall
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Augusta, GA
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finished in double figures. The Tigers shot only 40% from the field but hit six key three pointers. The Tigers lead the ACC in free throw shooting but shot only 60% on 12-20 from the line last night. However, Clemson did hit several key free throws in the closing stretch.
The Tigers got a win despite
Jordan Roper
Jordan Roper
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#20 5-11, 165
Columbia, SC
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and
Jaron Blossomgame
Jaron Blossomgame
RS Fr. Forward
#5 6-7, 215
Alpharetta, GA
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combining to go 3-14 from the field and 0-5 from behind the three point line. One way they overcame a bad shooting night was by protecting the basketball. Clemson turned it over only eight times against the Hokies.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came after the Hokies tied the game with less than two minutes remaining.
Adonis Filer
Adonis Filer
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#3 6-2, 190
Chicago, IL
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drove the lane and made an acrobatic shot and finished the three point play with a made free throw. The Tigers would not trail again.
The Tigers held a lead for most of the contest but a turning point in the second half was Virginia Tech's zone defense. It took Clemson several minutes to adjust to the Hokies' strategy. In fact, I would expect the Tigers to face more zone in the future.
Clemson responded with another terrific defensive effort in the final few minutes and held Tech to just 49 points. The Tigers also out rebounded Virginia Tech 33-30.
The win was nice because it was not a letdown after the big win last week over Duke. Saturday's home game against Wake Forest represents a great opportunity to continue the positive momentum and I would expect a good home court advantage at Littlejohn.
Beasley Returns
Clemson All-American Vic Beasley announced Wednesday that he will return for his senior season. The return of the consensus first-team All-American in 2013 is big for several reasons. First is his presence as a pass rusher. Beasley led the ACC in sacks with 13 and finished second in tackles for loss with 23. His sack figure on a per game basis was third best in the nation and his tackle for loss figure on a per game basis ranked second. He led the nation in tackles for loss per game against teams that finished the season with a winning record (19 in eight games). He was also 10th in the nation in caused fumbles with four.
Beasley's presence means more opportunities for other Clemson defenders. Corey Crawford and Shaq Lawson will benefit when offenses slid their protection to Beasley.
It also means Clemson should field one of the best defensive lines in the country next season. Beasley, Crawford and Lawson make a dynamic trio at defensive end and the defensive tackles group consisting of Grady Jarrett, DJ Reader, DeShaun Williams, Josh Watson, Carlos Watkins and Scott Pagano have to considered among the country's deepest units.
The secondary should benefit because the pass defenses' best friend is a great pass rush.
Beasley was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation, USA Today, Sporting News and Sports Illustrated among others. He was a second-team selection by the Associated Press and the Football Writers Association. He was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, which is given to the top defensive end in college football, and was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and the Lombardi Award.
Beasley has 21 career sacks and needs just eight in 2014 to break the school record of 28 held by Michael Dean Perry and Gaines Adams.
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Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
If you would like to add someone to the list please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list.
Those who need our prayers include: Finn Brookover, Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Shervin Messer, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, William Ross, Meredith Legg, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon Thompson, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Doug Bailey and family, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Harlan Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Edward Easterling, Dawson Bourne, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Jim Lanier, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Jeanne Thompson, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, Patrick Destefano, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.
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