Clemson takes care of Eagles

CLEMSON -- Several weeks ago, Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel offered up a prediction on who might help the 19th-ranked Tigers basketball team ease the loss of outside shooters K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby.

McDaniel, who doubled as a star basketball player in high school, had played in on-campus, pickup games over the summer with David Potter. He came away impressed with Potter, who had averaged a paltry, but career-high 4.9 points per game as a junior.

At least early in the season, McDaniel is looking like an excellent forecaster.

Potter was again efficient shooting and scoring Monday, helping the Tigers to a 102-66 win against Winthrop.

Potter connected on all three of his 3-point attempts, finishing with 12 points at Littlejohn Coliseum.

During Clemson's 4-0 start to the season, Potter is shooting 72 percent (13 of 18) from beyond the arc, easing the loss of the team's top two 3-point shooters in Oglesby and Rivers.

"He's very relaxed and senior-like," said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell, who has led the Tigers to 29 consecutive November victories. "He's made shots … He's always been a good on-ball defender."

Purnell credits the 6-6 swingman's improvement to staying on campus to work out this summer for the first time in his career, showing a heightened sense of urgency with playing time imminent.

"I got shots up like crazy," said Potter of his summer work on campus. "I knew there would be an opportunity without Rivers and Oglesby."

Potter is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.8 points per game.

Potter and Clemson will get a chance to prove they are for real in an early season test when the Tigers travel to 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday. The tournament begins on Thanksgiving, when the

Tigers tip off against Texas A & M at 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2). The Aggies will be the Tigers' first power-conference opponent of the season. West Virginia, Butler and Minnesota are all ranked opponents in the field.

Still, through four games against a weak schedule, Purnell is pleased.

Clemson's 8 of 17 shooting from beyond the arc carried more weight Monday as the Tigers faced a Winthrop (2-2) team that was often in a man defense. Previous opponents like Presbyterian had played a considerable amount of zone against Clemson, resulting in wide-open 3s.

Clemson is shooting 45 percent (32 of 71) on 3s this season.

Purnell was especially pleased with the defensive play Monday, and his highly-touted freshmen absorbing different pressure schemes.

Clemson scored 28 points off turnovers.

"We executed the details in the pressure defense really well," Purnell said. "We changed (defenses) up four times and they didn't blow an assignment."

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