BASKETBALLIN OUT OF CONTROL

Unless you've been hiding from creditors in the backwoods of Lumpkin, SC with no contact with the outside world then you would know that the Clemson basketball team is off to one of the hottest starts in school history. We are undefeated and 17-0, a record that is tied with the 1986-1987 season which accomplished the same feat. Not only that, we are 3-0 in ACC play this year and tied for first along with Boston College (11-4, 3-0 ACC).

Clemson has topped off it's success with a recent road victory... err ass beating of N.C. State. They broke a 4-loss streak in the RBC center which is a losing streak that dates all the way back to early 2000.

Oliver Purnell credits the play of the entire team, and not just a five to seven man rotation that is standard with most teams. Also receiving credit and kudos from Purnell is obviously Junior Forward James Mays, Senior Guard Vernon Hamilton, and Sophomore guard K.C. Rivers. Clemson improved to 28-0 with Mays in the lineup with this past Tuesday's win over N.C. State. He led the Tigers to an 11-0 start last season before he was declared academically ineligible, and the team went on to lose 10 of 13 games. Hamilton's speed and leadership has been an obvious and very visible factor in all of Clemson's wins this year. K.C. Rivers was referred to as the "Best Bench Player in the ACC" by the announcer's during the N.C. State game.

"Free Throws were a key to the win against Georgia Tech. We have been working hard at free throws all season, and our work is beginning to pay off. Over the Christmas break, we held numerous free throw only practices during the morning. This has really helped our players’ fine tune their routines and step to the line with confidence. We are going to continue to shoot a lot of free throws as a team and individually, as many ACC games this season will come down to the line and we want to be prepared." - Purnell on Clemson's biggest concern. Freebies turned out to be the downfall of the Clemson Basketball season last year.

The Tigers, ranked 17th by the Associated Press and 14th in the USA Today poll, will face #25 Maryland on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.

K.C. Rivers continues to punish teams with his clutch three-point shooting.