North Carolina Tar Heels vs Clemson Tigers | Preview & Predictions

COLLEGE BASKETBALL – WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2010

#12 North Carolina Tar Heels (12-4) vs. #24 Clemson Tigers (13-3)

The No. 24 Clemson Tigers will host the No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, SC. on Wednesday night.

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The Tigers had four consecutive double-digit wins over North Carolina State back in the early 1990s but the Tar heels have beaten Clemson in the last six times the two teams have met, including a 94-70 thumping in their last meeting on Jan21, 2009. .

North Carolina improved to 11-0 finishing strong hitting five consecutive 3 –pointers to beat beating Virginia Tech 78-64 with their second straight ACC opener win on Sunday night. Ed Davis contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds while Larry Drew II added 14 points. Deon Thompson and Will Graves had 13 apiece in the win. The Heels shot just 38 percent from the field in the loss to Charleston, but turned it around going 28-of-52 (53.8 percent) against Virginia Tech, the second time in their last three games they have shot 50 percent or better. Point guards Larry Drew II and Dexter Strickland look like they are starting to gel just in time to start conference play, as the two combined for 11 assists and only three turnovers against Virginia Tech.

Meanwhile Clemson hit almost 60 percent of their shots in the opening half as Trevor Booker scored 19 points lifting the Tigers to a 72-56 win over the Eagles on Saturday to open their Atlantic Coast Conference play schedule. It was a mass improvement being thrashed 74-53 by Duke last Sunday night in a contest that saw the Tigers put up just 12 points in the first half. It looks like Clemson has rediscovered its shooting touch. They also turned around their defense by holding BU to 37 percent shooting. Clemson had won six consecutive games before falling to Duke and are currently 7-1 in their last eight contests.

The odds makers have the Tar Heels as –2 ½ -point favorites in this one.

Both squads have made some improvements on both sides of the ball and have started conference play with a win apiece. The Tigers are 8-1 at home while the Heels are still searching for that allusive road win. UNC is nowhere close to last year’s caliber but they still have some weapons that can hit an unsuspecting team or two for sure.

Expect UNC to edge out the Tigers in this one for their first win on the road.

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