Basketball Roundup | Clemson crushes Alabama

January 2, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The 19th-ranked Clemson Tigers resumed their domination in games against teams from the Southeastern Conference, handing Alabama its worst home loss in seven years.

Trevor Booker and James Mays scored 18 points each and Terrence Oglesby added 17 to lift the hot-shooting Tigers to an 87-61 victory over the Crimson Tide on Tuesday.

It was the worst loss at Coleman Coliseum for Alabama (10-4) since a 93-60 setback to Louisiana State in 2000 and the most lopsided home nonconference defeat since a 28-point loss to Ohio State in 1970. Alabama had won its previous six games.

The Tigers (12-1), who compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference, have won seven of their last eight games against SEC teams — the loss coming to Mississippi on Dec. 22.

Clemson took control midway through the second half, setting up uncontested shots and denying such chances for the Crimson Tide.

The Tigers led by as many as 31 points.

Booker seemed more surprised by the manner of the win than the margin.

“I didn’t think they were going to quit toward the end,” he said.

“I think they gave up toward the seven-minute mark.”

Alabama coach Mark Gottfried shared a similar view.

“I’m completely, 100 percent embarrassed at how my team competed in the second half,” he said. “That hasn’t been the case for one minute of one game this year. I think we got frustrated. Their pressure hurt us. They made a nice run; they made some tough shots. We started getting hurried on offense. We took some bad shots.”

Clemson shot 53.6 percent and limited the Crimson Tide to 39.7 percent, including a 2-for-18 showing on three-point attempts.

“When they made their run and took a lead there of a sizable margin, we did not respond well at all,” Gottfried said. “Period. End of story.”

Note

• Visiting Cincinnati edged Louisville 58-57. Louisville had a chance to extend its winning streak to five games, but Edgar Sosa’s 18-footer with two seconds left was partially blocked and Terrence Williams‘ tip bounced out at the buzzer.

Williams, a graduate of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, had a game-high 11 rebounds but shot 2 for 13 and ended up with nine points.

Williams, a 6-foot-6 junior, is the leading scorer for the Cardinals (9-4), averaging 12.4 points.

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