Clemson vs. Louisiana Tech Notes

by Press Release - Wed Mar 15 22:53:27 GMT-04:00 2006

*This was Clemson's first postseason tournament victory since March 23, 1999 when Clemson defeated Xavier in the semifinals of the NIT in Madison Square Garden, 79-76.

*Clemson needs just one victory to reach 20 for the season. Only seven teams in Clemson history have won 20 games in a year. The last Tiger team to win 20 was the 1998-99 Tiger team that finished with a

20-15 record after reaching the finals of the NIT.

*Clemson now has seven more wins than it has losses and the worst Clemson can do is six more wins than losses. Clemson has not finished a season with six more wins than losses since 1996-97 when the Tigers were 23-10 and finished the season in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

*Clemson made its last 15 free throws of the game over the last 4:39

of the contest. It was the most consecutive made free throws by the

Tigers this year as a team. The record is 24 in a row by the Tigers vs. Mercer on December 30, 1992.

*Clemson made 20-25 free throws this evening for an 80 percent figure. It was just the fifth game since Oliver Purnell has been at Clemson that the tigers have shot at least 80 percent from the foul

line, the third time this year. Ironically, Clemson had lost the

two previous games this year in which Clemson had shot 80 percent from the line (Virginia Tech at home and at Virginia).

*Each of Clemson's last three wins have come against schools with Tech in their name (Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Louisiana Tech).

*Clemson held Louisiana Tech to 16 points in the first half, the fewest points allowed by a Clemson team in a half since Northwestern had just 15 in the second half of a 57-44 Clemson victory on November 28, 2000.

*Hamilton's 10 made free throws tied his career high. He also made 10 against Florida State on Feb. 27, 2005.

*Hamilton's 10-12 free throw percentage (.833) was the best by a Clemson player in an NIT game since Horace Grant made 11-12 against Middle Tennessee in 1986 (min. of 10 attempts).

*Hamilton had one steal tonight and now has 198 for his career.

*Cliff Hammonds had 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists this

evening. The rebound total was a career high and it marked the

first time in his career that he had at least six in each category in the same game. He now has a 21/4 assist/turnover ratio over the last five games.

*Julius Powell scored 10 points in tonight's game, just the second double figure scoring game for the freshman over his last 10 games.

He also had 10 in the win over Virginia on Feb. 25, 2006.

*Akin Akingbala had 16 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double and his seventh double-double in the last

10 games. Akingbala had just three double-doubles in the first 94

games of his Clemson career and now has seven in his last 10.

*Akingbala out-rebounded the nation's top rebounder, Paul Millsap of

Louisiana Tech 11-9 in tonight's game. It marked just the ninth

time all year that an opposing player had out-rebounded Millsap in a game all year.

*Clemson out-rebounded Louisiana Tech tonight. The Bulldogs entered the contest 11th in the nation in rebound margin.

*The 53 points allowed tied for the fewest given up by the Clemson defense in an NIT game. It was the best scoring defense in a Clemson victory. Clemson lost a 53-49 contest to Mississippi in the 1982 NIT at Clemson.

*Clemson has now won six consecutive home NIT games over a span of 20 years.