Purnell and Tigers Get First ACC Win

---

CLEMSON – Defense was the name of the game in Clemson’s 53-48 victory over Florida State Tuesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Clemson point guard Vernon Hamilton had five steals including two crucial ones late, and the Tigers held the Seminoles to 37 percent field goal shooting to give Oliver Purnell his first ACC win.

"It was all about defense and defensive plays coming down the stretch," said Clemosn head coach Oliver Purnell. "Vernon Hamilton made two super deflection steals type plays at the end of the game.”

The Tigers improved their record 8-6 overall, 1-2 in the ACC. The Seminoles fell to 12-4 overall, 1-2 in the ACC.

After a less than pretty first half, the Tigers went into the locker room leading 27-19. The brief intermission did nothing to improve the game for the Tigers early in the second. Clemson made just two field goals in the first seven minutes of the second half.

A 15-3 spurt by the Tigers over the next nine minutes gave Clemson a 44-33 lead and proved to be the difference in the ballgame. The Seminoles were reduced to fouling with minutes left in the game, but poor free throws almost did the Tigers in. The Tigers were 9-17 from the line, but were able to hold onto the lead and the win thanks in large part to back to back two steals by Hamilton in the last minutes.

Shawan Robinson led the Tigers with 10 points. Lamar Rice added nine points and five rebounds. Hamilton and Chey Christie had seven points apiece.

Michael Joiner led Florida State with nine points and seven rebounds. Tim Pickett was held to just eight points on 3-14 shooting.

Clemson will return to action this Saturday when it travels to Raleigh to face North Carolina State for an 8:00 PM game.

VISITORS: Florida State Seminoles (12-4, 1-2 ACC)


                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS


## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN


01 Michael Joiner...... f  3-4    2-2    1-2    3  4  7   2   9  1  4  2  1  29


54 Anthony Richardson.. f  0-2    0-1    2-4    1  2  3   2   2  1  1  0  1  21


33 Mike Mathews........ c  0-1    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  1  0  0   3


10 Nate Johnson........ g  1-3    1-2    0-0    1  2  3   3   3  6  1  0  0  22


22 Tim Pickett......... g  3-14   2-11   0-1    0  1  1   2   8  1  2  0  2  32


04 Todd Galloway.......    2-5    0-1    2-2    0  3  3   3   6  0  2  0  1  20


12 Al Thornton.........    0-1    0-0    0-2    0  1  1   1   0  0  0  0  1   5


20 Andrew Wilson.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  1  10


23 Von Wafer...........    4-10   0-2    0-1    1  0  1   5   8  2  1  0  2  17


32 Alexander Johnson...    3-4    0-0    3-4    1  2  3   3   9  2  5  0  1  25


51 Adam Waleskowski....    1-2    1-1    0-0    2  2  4   2   3  1  2  0  0  16


   TEAM................                         1  3  4


   Totals..............   17-46   6-20   8-16  10 21 31  23  48 14 20  2 10 200


TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  7-18 38.9%   2nd Half: 10-28 35.7%   Game: 37.0%  DEADB


3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-5  40.0%   2nd Half:  4-15 26.7%   Game: 30.0%   REBS


F Throw % 1st Half:  3-7  42.9%   2nd Half:  5-9  55.6%   Game: 50.0%    3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HOME TEAM: Clemson Tigers (8-6, 1-2 ACC)


                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS


## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN


12 Olu Babalola........ f  2-4    1-3    0-0    1  0  1   2   5  0  3  0  1  16


43 Chris Hobbs......... f  2-4    0-0    0-2    3  4  7   4   4  0  1  0  1  32


05 Sharrod Ford........ c  1-5    0-0    3-4    1  4  5   2   5  1  2  0  0  30


03 Vernon Hamilton..... g  1-5    0-1    5-8    0  3  3   1   7  7  1  0  5  35


14 Chey Christie....... g  1-5    1-3    4-5    3  2  5   2   7  1  2  0  0  20


02 Lamar Rice..........    3-9    2-5    1-4    3  2  5   0   9  2  2  0  0  22


04 Steve Allen.........    1-1    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   0   2  0  1  0  1   1


22 Shawan Robinson.....    3-11   3-10   1-2    2  3  5   3  10  2  3  0  2  28


33 Akin Akingbala......    2-2    0-0    0-0    0  6  6   3   4  0  1  0  0  16


   TEAM................                                             2


   Totals..............   16-46   7-22  14-25  14 24 38  17  53 13 18  0 10 200


TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-27 37.0%   2nd Half:  6-19 31.6%   Game: 34.8%  DEADB


3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  5-13 38.5%   2nd Half:  2-9  22.2%   Game: 31.8%   REBS


F Throw % 1st Half:  2-4  50.0%   2nd Half: 12-21 57.1%   Game: 56.0%    6

Trending on TigerNet

Lucas Glover presented with the Order of the Palmetto

7-seed Tigers host 10-seed Pitt to start ACC Tournament

No. 20 Tigers pull away from Irish in extras

Clemson pro signs with Jacksonville Jaguars