Monday March 16, 2009

Tigers in the Tournament

Tigers in the Tournament
As I get ready to turn 41 I am reminded of the Mickey Mantle quote, “If I would have known I was going to live this long then I would have taken better care of myself.”

Either I am old or Clemson’s NCAA tournament history is not but I remember every NCAA tournament game in school history.

But you don’t have to be this old to remember every NCAA tournament game Clemson has ever played. The Tigers did not make their first appearance until 1980 but boy did they hit the ground running.

Clemson’s first tournament was its most successful. Billy Williams enjoyed an amazing season and the senior continued his hot streak in the first round of the tournament that year when he had 22 points in a 76-73 opening round win over Utah State in Ogden, UT. Future NBA star Larry Nance added 13 points in the win as Clemson held on late.

A rare feat occurred in the second round as Clemson faced its second team from a host state as Clemson’s second round opponent was BYU. The Cougars were led by future NBA star Danny Ainge but Billy Williams had 24 points to lead Clemson to wins in its first two NCAA tournament contests. Nance had 16 points and 11 boards in Clemson’s 71-66 victory.

The Tigers moved on Tucson, AZ for the regionals and beat Lamar 74-66 in the Sweet 16. This time it was Nance with another strong 16-point and 11-rebond performance. He was helped by Moose Campbell’s 15 points and 12 boards.

Clemson squared off against UCLA in the Elite Eight of 1980 with the winner heading to the Final Four. The Bruins were too much for the Tigers and eventually went on the play for the national title but lost to Louisville. The 85-74 final was Clemson’s first loss in the tournament and it ended the Tigers’ best run ever in the event.

The Tigers had a drought as far as NCAA tournament play was concerned but expectations were high entering the 1987 NCAA tournament. I was in the Omni in Atlanta, GA to watch the fourth-seeded Tigers get upset by the 13th-seeded Southwest Missouri State Bears. Injuries were always a factor but I wonder how many the Tigers would have done with a healthy Grayson Marshall at the point? I still feel for Horace Grant who deserved a better end to his career.

Clemson entered the 1989 NCAA tournament with a powerful front line of Elden Campbell and Dale Davis. The Tigers were an underdog as a nine seed but upset the eighth seed in St. Mary’s 83-70. It was a hot David Young that helped the outside shooting efforts on this day in Boise, ID.

Clemson was never really into the game in the second round in 1989 as top-ranked Arizona destroyed the Tigers 94-68. Sean Elliott and crew simply outclassed the Tigers this weekend.

The Tigers have reached the Sweet 16 three times with the second coming in 1990. A first round slugfest resulted in a 49-47 win over BYU. This is the one Clemson NCAA tournament game that I just have the least memories from. I remember winning but just can’t seem to come up with the visuals from the contest.

I vividly remember LaSalle and Lionel Simmons in the second round of the NCAA tournament that year. The man-child had 28 as the Explorers had big leads but Clemson came back to win 79-75. Dale Davis had 26 points and 17 rebounds.

The worst Clemson memory in Clemson NCAA tournament history came in the Sweet Sixteen as Scott Burrell made a length of the court pass to Tate George who hit a buzzer beater to eliminate the Tigers71-70. A piece of me died that night. Maybe that is what is wrong with my throat.

The Tigers are just 2-4 in the NCAA tournament since that ball went through the hoop in East Rutherford, NJ that night.

In 1996 an inexperienced group of Tigers was beaten by five seniors from Georgia 81-74 in an eight vs nine game. This was Rick Barnes’s first Clemson team to reach the NCAA tournament and the first of three in a row.

The Tigers have played NCAA tournament games in Kansas City before. In 1997 Clemson went 2-0 in Kansas City as they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen again. Greg Buckner had 22 points and nine rebounds in a 68-56 win over Miami (OH) in the first round.

Tulsa was the second round opponent and it was a 65-59 win that featured16 Terrell McIntyre points. The win set up another heart breaker for the Tigers. A 90-84 double overtime loss to top-seeded Minnesota was even harder to swallow considering the Tigers led for most of the first overtime. This was a physical game that I thought ended Clemson’s best chance ever at a Final Four appearance.

The Tigers entered the 1998 tournament tired and worn out. I might have been the only one who was not surprised by Western Michigan’s 75-72 win. Clemson looked heavy legged were primed for the upset. This was the last game Rick Barnes ever coached at Clemson.

After years of frustration, Oliver Purnell got the Tigers back in the NCAA tournament last season. I don’t want to open a wound that just closed up but the Tigers blew a big lead in Tampa as Scottie Reynolds and company took a 75-69 decision.

Maybe I can live long enough to see a Final Four from our Tigers but 41 is getting long in the tooth.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

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 e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*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, Mrs. Kathleen Bowers, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Sandy Wright, Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, Ronnie Queen, Edward Putman, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Anna Rawl, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naemi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, Vahid Tizfahm,Vincent Lee.