Clemson Basketball: Time to focus

While it is both fun and frustrating to discuss the outcome and subsequent fallout from the dook debacle, it is time to move forward, for, The hoos are coming to the LJ.
The Tigers are 48-63 alltime vs. the Cavs, 31-20 at home, 16-37 in Va., and 1-6 on neutral sites. Clemson had lost five in a row to the hoos prior to the home 90-64 win last season.

This year UVa is 12-6 overall, but 4-2 in ACC competition. The have strong wins against Arizona, Gonzaga, and Maryland, but also have glaring losses to App. State., Utah, and Purdue. It is hard to discern which UVa team will show up to play on any given night. Nonetheless, UVa has the ACC leading scorer, Sean Singletary, who averages 19.4 ppg and plays 32.2 minutes per game. Additionally, JR Reynolds is the fourth leading scorer with 18.2 ppg and 30.7 minutes per game. Their third leading option is Mamadi Diane who averages 11.2 ppg. And don't be fooled, nor confused, though they have David Noel on their bench, he is not that David Noel.

As a team, UVa has the ACC third spot for scoring offense with 80.9 ppg, whereas Clemson is sixth with 76.5 ppg, with UVa having played 18 games and Clemson having played 21. Per scoring defense, Clemson is third in allowing 63.5 ppg and UVa is 11th, allowing 73.1 ppg. Clemson has an average scoring margin of +13 and UVa of +7.8 ppg.

But enough of all of these statistics. Clemson needs to press, press, press. With the leading ACC scorer coming to town, and given their relatively thin reserve bench, this will be imperative. The Tigers must wear Singletary and the Cavs down. Additionally, we need to shore up our turnovers, by tightening up our passing game and moving better without the ball.

Trevor Booker and James Mays will have to step it up. Mays was troubled against dook with the double team and Booker did not work hard enough under the basket. The guards will have a tough assignment keeping up with the UVa backcourt, so neutralization is key. If the Tiger guards play strong, the inside game is on, and OP gets the team to focus their disappointment and anger, Clemson should win handily.

Go Tigers!