No. 7 seed Tigers open the NCAAs against Missouri

CLEMSON -- At the Tigers' selection show party Sunday, tension built in the West Zone after the first two brackets were revealed without Clemson's name. At that point, someone questioned Oliver Purnell about his sweaty palms.

"I have a condition after 6 p.m.," Clemson's coach said of selection Sunday, "my hands get wet."

Purnell's concern was replaced by delight as the Tigers were awarded a No. 7 seed in the East and a trip to Buffalo N.Y. Clemson will meet 10th-seeded Missouri on Friday at 2:45 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The placement was a better fate than what most bracketologists predicted would await Clemson after the Tigers lost their final regular season game, and their opening-round ACC Tournament game.

"I think we deserve it," Purnell said of the seeding. "There are some naysayers that don't think our league is that good, that don't think our team is that good. We played a difficult schedule. I think our seed reflects that."

Tigers' schedule ranked 24th, according to RealtimeRPI.com. It carried significant weight, as Virginia Tech became the first ACC team with 10 conference wins to be left out of the field since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Virginia Tech had the 133rd-rated schedule in the country, but the Hokies were a game ahead of Clemson in the ACC standings.

Most projections had Clemson (21-10) as an eight or nine seed, a position where a win only guarantees a meeting with a No. 1 seed.

Instead, Clemson would likely face second-seeded West Virginia should it top Missouri in a battle between Tigers teams.

It's a matchup Purnell likes as he continues his quest for his first NCAA win. Missouri, which finished fifth in the Big 12 (22-10, 10-6), won't bog down Clemson in a halfcourt game. Both teams feature pressing defenses and prefer a faster pace.

Both clubs lost their final regular season game and the first-round game of their respective conference tournaments.

Both teams are in the top 10 in steals nationally, speaking to their pace of play, and both own 6-4 records over their final 10 games.

"It's not going to be a battle for a tempo," Purnell said. "We know what the tempo will be. We don't need to be concerned about that."

The Tigers enter the NCAA Tournament much like they did last season -- with a No. 7 seeding and coming off a first-round loss in the ACC Tournament.

But the Tigers say this is a different team than the one that lost to

Michigan in the first round of the NCAAs last season.

For starters, there was a sense of disappointment and missed opportunity when the team learned of its No. 7 seeding while watching the selection show last March in Purnell's home.

On Sunday, the team was pleased with a No. 7 seed.

Point guard Demontez Stitt thought the Tigers would be awarded a No. 9 seed.

Stitt said the chemistry is much better than last season, and the Tigers did close the regular season by winning five of seven games. Last season, the Tigers stumbled into the postseason, losing four of their final four games prior to losing to Michigan.

"Last year, we had problems that didn't surface until late in the season," Stitt said. "This year we are all on the same page and the chemistry is there."

Purnell believes the Tigers have yet to reach their ceiling on the court this year, which is equal parts frustrating and promising for the coach in his seventh season at Clemson.

"I feel like we are in solid shape this year," Purnell said. "I really believe we haven't played our best basketball."

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at postandcourier.com/blogs/tiger_tracks