Tigers comfortable as they roll into regular season finale at Wake

CLEMSON — His court had been commandeered by a Lego-building competition.

A day before its biggest game of the season to date, his team had been banished to its second-floor Littlejohn Coliseum practice gym.

Yet Oliver Purnell seemed quite at ease Saturday morning.

There’s one simple explanation: the team he was about to lead in practice.

A year after a top-10 Clemson team peaked in February and imploded down the stretch, losing five of six to end the season capped with a first-round NCAA flameout against Michigan, a less-heralded group is peaking at the perfect time.

Entering today’s 6 p.m. regular season finale at Wake Forest (18-9, 8-7 ACC), Clemson is rolling. The Tigers (21-8, 9-6) have won six of their last eight, have clinched their third straight NCAA tournament berth and are solidly in position for an ACC tournament bye.

“It’s a lot different,” said junior point guard Demontez Stitt. “This time last year, our chemistry wasn’t where it should have been, or where we wanted it to be. We had guys on the team with different agendas, personal goals and it set players apart.

“Now we have guys that listen, we know what we’re capable of and where we can go. Guys who have been on the team, sophomores up, know what it takes to win games. It’s a good time for us, I feel like we’re coming together at the right time.”

Thanks to Florida State’s win over Miami, Clemson must win to secure an ACC tournament first-round bye. With a win, the Tigers will be the No. 3 seed and play either Wake Forest or 11th-seeded N.C. State at 9:30 p.m. Friday.

A loss sends Clemson to the No. 6 seed and a matchup with N.C. State at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, with the winner facing the No.3 seed at 9:30 p.m. in Friday’s quarterfinals.

“We’re fighting to be in the best position possible to win an ACC championship,” Purnell said. “There are two ways — to get a bye or to go into the tournament playing well. Those are the two tracks we’re going down. (Wake) is a very talented basketball team that I’m sure will pull out all the stops to get things righted going into the ACC tournament.”

The Demon Deacons have likely locked up an NCAA spot, but they’re in desperation mode as they say goodbye to seniors Ish Smith and L.D. Williams. Wake has lost four straight and badly needs a win for postseason momentum.

Clemson hasn’t won in Lawrence Joel Coliseum since February 21, 1990, a 17-game streak. Seven members of the Tigers’ roster had yet to be born.

“We haven’t won at Wake in a long time,” Stitt said. “Everyone feels this is our year to win up there. We all know it’s a big game, but we’re not really focused on how many times we’ve lost up there. We’re focused on becoming a better road team. From here on out, we’re going to be playing on the road or at neutral sites.”

Following a three-game losing streak coinciding with Stitt’s sprained foot, the Tigers have looked sharper both offensively and defensively as Stitt has gotten healthier.

It’s a much more comfortable feel this March, no question.

“It feels very different, there’s no question about it,” Purnell said. “We were not defending as well, we were trying to outscore people, and that’s not who we needed to be, who we were earlier in the year.

“Most of the time, we’re defending, rebounding and not trying to outscore people, trying to stay in an attack mode and defend a certain way. It seems like we understand that.”

© 2010 Anderson Independent Mail. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.