Tuesday's Game: Clemson vs. SMU

Mar 27, 2014, 12:49 PM

Who: Clemson (23-12) vs. Southern Methodist (26-9)
Where: Duh! Madison Square Garden
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Is it a sellout: Nope, come on up! Tickets start at $15.
Is it on TV? On the Deuce.
Last game: Clemson stopped hot-shooting Belmont over the last 90 second to win 73-68 and unleash an apparent pent-up hatred against court-storming. SMU hit a 3 at the buzzer to upend Cal 67-65, but it's OK for them to storm the court.
When last we met: Clemson throttled SMU in the opening round of the 1970 Music City Invitational 67-51. I'm guessing they've gotten a bit better since then.

Wasn't SMU supposed to be in the Dance this year? You'd think so. The Ponies (SMU fans fondly call their team the Ponies) were a Top 25 team much of the year and seemed at worst an at-large lock for the Dance. Then, they lost in the opening round of the AAC tourney to Houston and NC State sold its soul to whatever deity makes the Dance Card selections. Faster than you can say Saturday morning cartoon, My Little Ponies were relegated to the NIT.

But ... but ... I have all this cool NCAA tournament gear!

In fairness, SMU, like Clemson, was victimized by some weak early season scheduling. And, like Clemson, they had a couple of potential showcase wins slip away. But the Ponies didn't get down. They have found a way to win and now face the Tigers at MSG.

What do they bring to the table: The good news, after Belmont, is that SMU doesn't shoot from all over creation. The bad news is they had a cadre of very good athletes, all well coached by a seasoned (some would say preserved) coaching legend.

Hi folks, I'm Larry Brown. Remember me from UNC?

Larry Brown has been around since the center jump after each basket was changed. And he's done a solid job with the players of another former UNC legend, Vanilla Ice.

Perhaps they're hoping all those UNC ties will translate into success against Clemson.

The Ponies are paced by 6-9 sophomore forward Marcus Kennedy (NIT stats: 14 ppg, 7 reb, 87 pct from the line). His job is generally to stay inside and get close shots, which he does very well. He's also a decent matchup against Landry Nnoko, big enough and active enough to frustrate things down low. Think of a young Devin Booker, expect he doesn't foul as much.

Sophomore guard Nic Moore (11 ppg, 5 ast 42 pct from the arc) is small (5-9) but clutch. He's the guy who hit the 3 to beat Cal, and shoots well enough that you can't leave him alone. But mainly he runs the show, with a 2-1 assist-turnover ratio. He'll try 4-5 3s a game, often deep.

The other guard, Nick Russell (11 ppg, 5 reb, 3 ast) is a bit taller and like Rod Hall, will drive on a dare. He's wildly erratic from distance going 4-5 in one game and 0-4 in the next.

A few other names to note: Shawn Williams (7 ppg, 4 reb) is a solid small forward; Cannen Cunningham (7 ppg, 2 reb, 2 blk) is the only size of note underneath and Ben Moore provides serviceable relief underneath ... though at 6-8, 180 he gets slapped around a bit.

AS a team, SMU plays at a moderate pace (abt 70 ppg) and rebounds well (36 per game). they shoot very well (48 percent as a team) and their free throwing is adequate at 68 percent. The guards are deadly at the line, so foul a forward if you must.

The Ponies are also thin at guard, with the starters playing abt 35 minutes per game. Their assist-turnover ratio is slightly better than 1-1, and their rebounding numbers are pretty close to ours.

On defense, SMU plays tight man, and they play it well. Larry Brown likes to say, "We'll play man to man, and we will pick you up at the airport." Teams generally have to get into the 70s to beat them ... which could be a problem for Clemson.

This photo provided as a public service....

How will Clemson respond? Expect Clemson to ride the same horse that got them to MSG: Tough defense and probing the opposition for defensive weakness.

Lately, that has included feeding Demarcus Harrison (NIT 13 ppg, 5 reb, 2 ast) After focusing on defense vs. Illinois, Harrison rolled up 16 points vs. Belmont...including a couple of clutch 3s.

Jordan Roper (11 ppg, 3 ast) has been an early spark for Clemson's offense as opponents are gearing to stop KJ McDaniels (20 ppg, 8 reb, 4 blk) and leaving him alone.

SMU has a tendency to start slow and roll back in late in the game. Part of this is due to adjustments, but it seems opponents just get tired of playing against their defense and begin rushing shots. This is a grave temptation for Clemson, which has tended to settle for long 3s at times this year.

How about another couple of highlights in the Big Apple?

If both teams are on their game defensively, this is going to look like a Big 10 showdown with scores in the 40s. If either team can exploit a defensive weakness, things could get ugly. Neither team can afford to get too far behind.

Honestly, I'd have preferred we play Cal, which has more athletic, but less disciplined, players. SMU and Clemson are a solid matchup, much like playing a slightly less beefy Pitt.

Clemson will need to stay focused on offense, making each possession count. On defense, deny driving lanes and force SMU to the outside.

It's certainly a game Clemson can win. It's also one we can let slip away.

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Tuesday's Game: Clemson vs. SMU

Re: Tuesday's Game: Clemson vs. SMU

Well done as always

Nice and thorough with some levity...+1.***

Looks like we may match up well with them on the perimeter.

4th picture down, right below the outstretched right elbow..

Good to see...

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