Tuesday March 27, 2007

Biggest Games

Biggest Games
Tonight Clemson will play one of the biggest post-season games in school history in the semi-finals of the NIT against Air Force. I don’t need to tell you that Clemson does not have a great basketball tradition but you might be surprised to find out that the Tigers have won two or more consecutive games in the post-season only eight times. They won two games in the 1962 ACC tournament to advance to the title game. Clemson won three in a row during the 1980 NCAA tournament run to the Elite Eight. In 1990 and 1997 Clemson won two games each year to advance to the Sweet 16. Besides this year, Clemson won consecutive games in the NIT in 1986, 1994, 1999. The regular season is not much better as the Tigers have had a winning record in the regular-season ACC schedule just nine times.

Perhaps the biggest game in Clemson history came in 1980 when the Tigers faced UCLA in the Final Eight. The Tigers defeated Utah State in the opening round 76-73 in Ogden, UT. Shooting guard Billy Williams was the leading scorer in Clemson’s first ever NCAA tournament appearance. Williams hit 22 that day to lead the Tigers.

Two days later Clemson beat another Utah team when it took down BYU on the same court 71-66 to advance to the Sweet 16. This time Williams hit 16 points and Larry Nance added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Clemson had a remarkable comeback and defeated Lamar 71-66 to advance to the Elite Eight for the only time in school history. The Tigers pounded the ball inside on this day as Nance scored 16 and Moose Campbell added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

However, the Tigers dropped an 85-74 decision to Larry Brown and the Bruins and missed their best chance to date to advance to the Final Four. The loss came despite Williams scoring 18 and another outside shooting threat, Fred Gilliam, adding 13 points.

The 1979-80 team beat six teams ranked in the top 20 that season including number-one Duke in what was probably the best regular-season win in Clemson history. Seniors Williams, Campbell and Bobby Conrad helped lead a Tiger team to points they have not been since. I remember the front line of the three 6-10 Tigers of Campbell, Nance and Horace Wyatt.

I would say the second biggest game in school history was the ACC tournament championship game in the 1961-62 season. It was the only time the Tigers have ever played for the conference tournament title.

Clemson defeated NC State 67-46 in the opening round of the tournament that year then beat Duke 77-72 in the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, sophomore Jim Brennan scored 34 points to upset the eighth-ranked Blue Devils.

The championship game saw Clemson lose to Wake Forest 77-66. Brennan scored 70 points in the tournament that year, still the most ever by a Tiger.

The Tigers had a huge win over 20th-ranked North Carolina in the 1996 ACC tournament when Greg Buckner’s dunk gave Clemson a 75-73 win over the Dean Smith’s Tar Heels.

Clemson has been to the NCAA tournament only seven times but three of those seven teams advanced to at least the Sweet 16. Besides 1980, the 1990 team and 1997 squad advanced to the third round. In 1990 Clemson beat BYU 49-47 and then came from behind to defeat LaSalle in perhaps the best NCAA game played by a Tiger. Dale Davis had 26 points and 17 rebounds in the second round win. Sean Tyson added 17 in the victory. But the game set up the heart-breaking Tates George last second dagger in the loss to UConn.

In 1997, Rick Barnes’ team came into the tournament as a four seed and beat Miami (OH) and Tulsa before playing in a huge Sweet 16 matchup against Minnesota. Clemson lost to third-ranked Minnesota 90-84 in double overtime.

No ACC team has played in the NIT as much as Clemson and the Tigers have had some success in this tournament. The 1998-99 team won four straight in the NIT over Georgia, Rutgers, Butler and Xavier to advance to the finals in Madison Square Garden. But California won a 61-60 thriller in the finals.

In the 1974-75 season Clemson beat Duke 78-76 in the opening round of the ACC tournament to set up a huge semi-final contest against UNC. However, the Tar Heels beat Clemson 76-71. That game featured a 14th ranked Clemson team and a 12th rated squad from UNC.

The 1978-79 team went to Lexington, KY and upset the Wildcats 68-67 in Rupp Arena in front of what was the largest crowd to ever watch an NIT game until last week when Syracuse broke the record.

In 1939 Clemson defeated Maryland to win the Southern Conference tournament. In that tournament they also beat North Carolina, Wake Forest and Davidson. In the tournament finals Clemson defeated the Terps 39-27. The win is still Clemson’s only post-season tournament championship.

The Tigers have played some meaningful regular-season games like the 1980 win over top-Ranked Duke and the 1997 matchup with Wake Forest that featured number two vs. number four. The Tigers have played close to 375 games against ranked opponents including 29 games against the nation’s top ranked school.

Who knows, maybe Thursday night Clemson will win its second post-season tournament. I know the Southern Conference and NIT are not what the ACC and NCAA tournaments are but as Tigers we will take any title we can get right now.

Mickey's Blog also brought to you by:

864-834-6060

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency