Tiger Threes down Patriots 99-51

CLEMSON, SC - The Clemson Tigers connected on 14-of-27 three-point field goal attempts and cruised to a 99-51 exhibition win over Francis Marion University, Friday evening (Nov. 6) in men's basketball action.

Clemson scored the game's first seven points and never trailed spoiling Francis Marion's first-ever trip to Littlejohn Coliseum.  The margin would grow to 24-3 nearly seven minutes into the contest and the Patriots trailed 57-26 at intermission before a crowd of 5,000.

Senior 6-5 guard Kaylan Anderson, a transfer from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, led Francis Marion with 20 points as he hit on 6-of-7 field goal attempts and 6-of-10 free throws.  He also grabbed five rebounds.  Fellow newcomer Robert Faulkner added seven points and five rebounds.

Freshman Noel Johnson led Clemson with 19 points, while guard Tanner Smith scored 16, David Potter 10, and Trevor Booker, a preseason ACC Player of the Year candidate, had nine points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals in his 22 minutes of work.

The Tigers swarming full court defense forced Francis Marion in 34 turnovers, while Clemson committed 21 miscues.

Despite losing two of the top six three-point shooters in school history from last year, the Tigers seemed unaffected from beyond the arc.   Clemson held a 39-36 rebounding edge.

Francis Marion shot 34.5 percent from the floor, 4-of-9 from three-point range, and hit 9-of-18 free throws.

Francis Marion will open its regular season on Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Florida Tech Tip-Off Classic in Melbourne, Fla.  The Patriots will open with the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez at 2 p.m.