Tuesday January 06, 2009

Purnell's Biggest Win

Purnell's Biggest Win
Oliver Purnell continues to do things at Clemson that have never been done before and tonight is no exception. But Purnell already has his biggest win when he won over Clemson people.

Purnell’s team will take the floor tonight ranked 11th in the USA Today/ESPN Poll and 12th in the Associated press poll.

I have written several blogs on the milestones Purnell has reached with this basketball program. I wonder how many coaches across the country can honestly say they have their programs at the highest level in their school’s history. Yes, Purnell has Clemson in better shape than the program has ever seen and the future is even brighter.

The last time Clemson was ranked this high was November 16, 1997 when the Tigers were ranked fifth in the AP Poll.

Clemson started playing basketball in 1911. Only fifteen times since have the Tigers taken the floor for a home game where they have been ranked higher than they are right now. Here is a list of those games:

3/1/75 Clemson (11) 93 Biscayne 59
2/16/80 Clemson (10) 78 NC State 70
1/24/87 Duke (12) 105 Clemson (10) 103
12/14/96 Clemson (10) 80 Charleston Southern 57
12/20/96 Clemson (8) 89 Wofford 49
12/30/96 Clemson (5) 73 Marshall 57
1/4/97 Clemson (5) 63 SC State 44
1/7/97 Clemson (5) 86 Duke (10) 82
1/18/97 Clemson (3) 51 NC State 42
1/23/97 Wake Forest (4) 65 Clemson (2) 62
1/30/97 Clemson (7) 70 Georgia Tech 57
2/4/97 Clemson (10) 69 Western Kentucky 55
2/8/97 Clemson (10) 80 Maryland (7) 80-68
2/25/97 Clemson (7) 71 Virginia 65
2/23/97 FSU 67 Clemson (8) 65

If Clemson can continue to climb and get into the top ten of the national polls two more stats will come into play. The Tigers are 11-3 when playing at home as a top 10 team. Only three times in school history has Clemson played a home game in which both teams were tanked in the top 10. Clemson has played in only six games in which both teams were ranked in the top ten in the country.

A quick check of the SID game notes tell us:

*Clemson has won eight of its last night games against SEC schools. The Tigers are 11-4 under Oliver Purnell in games against SEC opponents (think Clemson football would like to say that?).

*K.C. Rivers needs just 19 points to move into the top 10 in school history.

Alabama presents a challenge tonight though. The Crimson Tide enters tonight’s contest with a 10-3 record and come in with a five game winning streak. Saturday Bama crushed Georgia Tech and confidence is high for this club. Tonight is the final non-conference game for the Crimson Tide.

Bama has as star guard in 6-1 Ronald Steele who averaged 14 points per game as a sophomore and is close to that figure again this season.

Alabama’s leading scorer this season is Alonzo Gee, a 6-6 wing, who is averaging 14.7 points per game.

The third starting guard for Bama is 6-1 Senario Hillman who averages 13.7 points per game and has had at least 17 in his last three games.

Alabama has three 6-9 post players they will rotate including JaMychal Green, Justin Knox and Yamene Coleman.

After Saturday’s win over East Carolina, Purnell made the statement that Alabama might be the best team Clemson has played this season. I see a talented bunch and they might be the most talented team Clemson has faced so far but they are not the best team. I am not sure Bama head coach Mark Gottfried scares anyone.

I would like to see the Tigers not get as far behind early tonight. Clemson got down by 12 to Miami and 11 to South Carolina but rebounded to win handily in both contest. This is a trend that cannot continue.

The Tigers are a tough matchup for most teams and I think tonight should be more of the same. Clemson can throw a bunch of big bodies at Alabama and it can match Bama’s quickness in the backcourt. I like the way Clemson matchups up tonight.

I also like the culture change surrounding Clemson basketball. I want to write a blog in the next week or two about this and get more in-depth on the subject.

In my opinion, Purnell has now turned the corner. He has now won the battle for support from a football crazy fan base. Clemson people are excited about packing up the car and taking the family over to Littlejohn. Saturday’s game against ECU proved this point. Without the students the coliseum was almost full despite an inferior, non-conference opponent.

In previous seasons, a Tuesday night non-conference game that starts at 9:00 PM usually meant empty seats because people have to work the next day. I think we will see a packed house tonight as the students get back in town for the start of school tomorrow.

Clemson basketball has energy. The student body has energy. The fan base has energy. The community is buzzing about the program and people are excited.

Again, it seems to me that Purnell has won his biggest battle and that is the one in which he captured the fan base of a football crazy school.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:

*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer lost will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.

*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com

*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.

*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Corey, Bob and Finn Brookover-Corey is pregnant with Finn and her water broke in mid November even though her due date was not until March. She is doing well but has been on bed rest at Greenville Memorial since November. She is now at 29 weeks and baby Finn is doing well.

Mrs. Kathleen Bowers

Larry in Naples, FL. Larry is currently being kept sedated in ICU and has acute pancreatitis. Larry is going to be transferred this week to Shands in Gainesville, FL for surgery on his pancreas. The doctors are saying that there is a 40% mortality rate with this surgery and if successful, there will still be a very long recovery. Larry is a great guy and a wonderful husband/father. Larry is 32 years old.

RTG-Pawsitive Tiger

Kaitlyn L-4 year old girl in TN who has seizures and a brain lesion that may be a slow-growing tumor. She will likely have a biopsy in February.

Terry Fowler-He will undergo an operation on Thursday to clear up blockages in both legs. These blockages are preventing proper blood flow to the lower extremities of his legs & feet.

Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter)

Sandy Wright

Jo Ann Bachman