Well it couldnt stay bad forever, and we do own them in basketball too. 6 straight and the last 5 by double digits.
- Clemson couldnt handle Downey last year at all but today we contained an opposing team's Guard for once and shut him down, only 8 points on 3 of 15 shooting. Andre Young and Demontez Stitt managed to close off his paths to the basket and the inside guys didnt let him up the lane unchallenged for most of the game.
- I questioned why Jerai Grant wasnt doing more, and today he stepped up bigtime to take some pressure off Booker. 12pts 11reb. I was quite happy that we have someone who could at least help inside to take Sykes spot.
- Trevor Booker played like shit. No sugarcoating it. He couldn't find the basket to save his life today. 7 points, 2/9 shooting, 7 rebounds, only 1 of which was offensive, 4 turnovers. He puts the ball on the floor when he goes inside, and I can't figure out why.
- Tanner Smith still getting my vote for team MVP. 14 points, 10 rebounds.
- Noel Johnson played 18 minutes and took 4 shots. C'mon dude.
- Clemson defense shut down their shooting altogether and it fed into our offense. 36pct allowed in the 2nd half, compared to 50pct for the Tigers.
- Both teams played pretty good defense throughout the game, but the press, as usual wore them down towards the end.
"You're always pleased with a win against your arch rival. I thought our defense on (Devan) Downey was outstanding," Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell said. "I thought we played with energy...I'm really pleased with this win going into exams."
It was a seven-point CU lead, 61-54, with five minutes left in regulation and the visitors failed to inch closer despite numerous chances. Steed missed a pair of free throws, Downey couldn't convert a contested layup and Baniulis was off the mark on a three-ball.
Grant extended the Tigers' lead on a dunk with 3 1/2 minutes left, Andre Young followed with a three-pointer for the hosts, and Smith sank two free throws for an insurmountable 68-54 lead with two minutes on the clock.
"The difference was that we had stretches where we didn't do what we needed to," Gamecocks head coach Darrin Horn said. "There were just too many breakdowns defensively. Once they stretched the lead out, it was hard to come back." (source)