9:59 AM ET, Fri March 12, 2010

Morris: Tigers' loss plants seed of doubt in committee

The State — GREENSBORO, N.C. | THURSDAY'S FIRST ROUND ACC tournament game was all about building an NCAA tournament resume for the Clemson Tigers. Or not.Sitting firmly on the NCAA tournament bubble, Clemson could have used a win against N.C. State to remove all doubt about its tournament worthiness. Or, the Tigers could have been outplayed from buzzer to buzzer and muddied the waters.Clemson chose the latter in a 59-57 loss that epitomized the first round action of this 57th annual event. If anything was proved by the first round of games, and particularly the Clemson game, it is that the difference betw...

6 hours ago

Clemson falls as ACC tournament starts with run of surprises

Greenville News — GREENSBORO, N.C. — Clemson had pretty much had its way with N.C. State in recent seasons, winning five straight games against the Wolfpack.

7 hours ago

Tigers, Wolfpack open ACC baseball play

The State — CLEMSON - The 11 games to this point of the Clemson season, including Thursday night's 13-2 victory against Gardner-Webb, were preliminary to this weekend's series with N.C. State.The Wolfpack, ranked in the top 30 of two polls, come to Doug Kingsmore Stadium at 4 p.m. today to open the Atlantic Coast Conference schedules for both teams.Clemson, 10-1 and ranked No. 12 by Baseball America, begins the weekend with junior left-hander Casey Harman (2-0) on the mound. Sophomore right-hander Cory Mazzoni (2-0) is scheuled to throw for the Wolfpack, 11-1, which has lost only to No. 8 Coastal Carolina...

9 hours ago

Smith leads N.C. State past Clemson 59-57 in ACC

The State — No team has ever won four straight games to take the Atlantic Coast Conference title. North Carolina State is the only team to even get to a fourth game in the 57-year-old event.The Wolfpack are a quarter of the way there. And the red coat is back.Behind 19 points and eight rebounds from Tracy Smith, N.C. State continued Clemson's misery in this tournament and ended a day of upsets with a 59-57 victory over the sixth-seeded Tigers in the first round on Thursday night.With coach Sidney Lowe decked out in his bright coat just like in 2007 when the Wolfpack won three straight before falling in th...

9 hours ago

Spiller, Ford pass up running at Clemson's pro day

The State — Two of college football's fastest chose to sit this one out.Former Clemson stars C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford passed up the chance to run the 40-yard dash in front of a full house of NFL scouts, coaches and personnel at the Tigers' pro timing day."There really was no need to run it. Why waste the energy?" said Spiller, the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. "Everyone knows that I'm fast."Spiller and Ford, who also ran track together at Clemson, proved that last month at the NFL's scouting combine in Indianapolis.Spiller clocked 4.37 seconds, second best among running backs to Cal's ...

17 hours ago

Clemson takes on N.C. State in ACC Tournament opener

Greenville News — CLEMSON -- Forgive Demontez Stitt if the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament takes him on a stroll down memory lane.

March 11, 2010

Southside, Abbeville students won't face charges in post-game brawl

Greenville News — No one will face charges in a brawl that broke out on Southside High's basketball court as players from opposing teams shook hands in the wake of the Tigers' victory over Abbeville High, authorities said.

March 11, 2010

Swinney favors ‘real' spring game

Greenville News — CLEMSON — Add Dabo Swinney to the list of college football coaches who favor a real spring game rather than the traditional intra-squad scrimmage.

March 11, 2010

Tigers, Paladins rained out

Greenville News — Both the Clemson University and Furman University baseball teams were washed out on Wednesday night.

March 11, 2010

Swinney lobbies for spring exhibition games

The State — CLEMSON - Dabo Swinney has an idea to liven up spring practice - have Clemson play an exhibition game against another team."Let's go play Georgia," Swinney said. "Don't you think that could generate some good money with all the Clemson fans and Georgia fans? Let's split the gate down the middle."Swinney noted that high school and NFL teams play other teams in exhibition games. So, Clemson's coach figures, why not at the college level?"You get tired of going against each other," Swinney said. Swinney's exhibition game would resemble a spring game. Quarterbacks would be off limits, there would b...

March 10, 2010
  • Staying at Tech works in Bell's favor - roanoke.com Roanoke Times BLACKSBURG -- Terrell Bell and his roommate often talked with each other last year about the possibility of transferring from Virginia Tech. That roommate, Hank Thorns, decided to transfer. Bell stayed put.
  • 5 things to watch in ACC quarterfinals Above the Rims | Charlotte Observer GREENSBORO - After North Carolina and Wake Forest choked Thursday, N.C. State held on to salvage some of the in-state interest (along with Duke) for the quarterfinal round of the ACC tournament.Here are five things to watch on Day 2:1. Pack’s persistence. N.C. State will be exhausted Friday night after spending 40 minutes battling Clemson’s press in the first round.How well the team can push through its fatigue will be a huge factor against Florida State. Tracy Smith played 37 minutes for N.C. State in the first round and faces a huge front line with Solomon Alabi and Chris Singleton that’s a ...
  • N.C. State 59, Clemson 57 ACC Now | News & Observer GREENSBORO -- N.C. State sported new warmup shirts for the ACC tournament on Thursday. "Impossible is nothing" it read on the front and "Wolfpack in the House" on the back. Both slogans proved to be true after State's 59-57 upset of Clemson to move into Friday's quarterfinals. The 11th-seeded Wolfpack did what previously had been impossible, beat a big, athletic Clemson team for the first time under coach Sidney Lowe, ending a five-game losing streak in the series. In the process, extending its season to tonight's matchup with No. 3 Florida State. Tracy Smith scored 19 poin...
  • Pack gets big game from big Rich ACC Now | News & Observer GREENSBORO -- Winners of four of the past five after Thursday’s first-round upset of Clemson, N.C. State may be playing its best basketball of the season. Not coincidentally, so is forward Richard Howell. Howell had 11 rebounds, one short of his career high, and nine points in the 59-57 win while helping Tracy Smith defend Clemson star Trevor Booker as the 11th-seeded Pack pulled off the third upset of the ACC tournament’s opening day. It’s shaping up to be a pleasant ending to an unpleasant season for the highly touted freshman, whose injury problems are hard to comprehend. He injured hi...
  • Harper, Wolfpack prepare for post season ACC Now | News & Observer RALEIGH - Though her team fell one game short in the ACC Tournament of earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, N.C. State women's basketball coach Kellie Harper remains optimistic about the Wolpack's chances of making the field. She doesn't find it necessary to lobby the NCAA Tournament Committee for a bid. That committee releases its selections on Monday at 7 p.m. during an ESPN broadcast.  "I feel like we've done what we've needed to do to get in," Harper said on Wednesday. "Our strength of schedule is very strong. We finished tied for fifth. We made it to the cha...
  • Clemson hones press for Pack ACC Now | News & Observer GREENSBORO -- While some teams used Wednesday’s open practices for half-speed shooting drills, Clemson worked hard on its full-court pressure defense in preparation for Thursday’s ACC tournament game against N.C. State. "We just believe in going hard and sharp the day before the game,” said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell. “The more you go harder and sharper, you have an opportunity for it to spill over into the game.” That strategy has worked for Clemson all season. The Tigers have forced an ACC-high 17.4 turnovers per game, so protecting the ball will be a key for N.C. State in the 9 ...