Clemson Basketball Starts Tomorrow vs. PC

Tomorrow the Tigers welcome the glorious Blue Hose from faraway Clinton, SC into Littlejohn.

Watch: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, SC or Tiger Cast
Listen: WCCP-FM
Follow: SCACCHoops

The Blue Hose play in the Big South Conference. They are making the move to Division I and according to their website are, "the youngest team in Division I with just one upperclassmen student-athlete playing this year."

I still think PC needs to clear the hurdle of being called the Blue Hose. Yes, I know it means their socks, or their cultural heritage- think William Wallace, or whatever, but still. It is way too suggestive, especially for a school with a religious denomination in its name. For all practical purposes, their nickname is a just a euphemistic double entendre.

Read the PC season preview for more information about this year's Blue Hose. Their schedule, outside of the competitive Big South Conference, is brutal. They play two ACC teams: Clemson and UNC, two Big Ten teams: Ohio State and Illinois, one SEC, Florida, one Big East: Marquette, in addition to Bradley, Dayton, and Furman. I guess that is the road they will take to try to gain some prominence and positive cash flow.

Per the game, there will surely be some rust and some kinks that need to get worked out for the Tigers and the Blue Hose. It will be ugly early, for both teams. The Tigers should take over with their athleticism and deep roster before the half. Here's the Clemson preview/press release

Onward.

Five things we know:

1. The freshmen are good. (Noel Johnson, Devin Booker, Milton Jennings, Donte Hill)
2. Trevor Booker is, well, Trevor Booker, and will be the better player in most of any match up he will have this year.
3. OP preaches defense and the press.
4. Oglesby is gone and we need to find solid, consistent outside shooting- hopefully from one of the freshmen or upper class men.
5. The Tigers still need to establish their offensive identity. While we lead with defense, we will have to see if the inside-outside offense will be successful as well. After the PC game, the competition increases in intensity quickly.

And while the hopes and eyes of Tiger fans will be in Raleigh this Saturday, the hardwood competition starts the night before in Clemson.

Let's get it started!

Go Tigers!