Blowout exposes loss of Oglesby

CLEMSON -- As in last season's rout of the Blue Devils, there was a raucous crowd inside Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday night. Like last season, Duke's Big Three of Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith were again in Duke jerseys.

But absent along with a Clemson victory was former Tigers sharp-shooting guard Terrence Oglesby.

When Oglesby surprisingly departed Clemson to turn pro this summer, coach Oliver Purnell hoped the loss of shooting prowess could be offset by better defense.

It seemed the question to be answered was whether Oglesby was a liability or an asset

Clemson's defense is slightly improved through six ACC games, but it has not made up for the offensive contraction.

Compared to its performance against the ACC last season, Clemson is allowing 7.1 fewer points per game (65). The problem is Clemson's scoring is down 11.8 points to 65.3 points per game.

The Tigers' offense will be further tested tonight at Boston College, as point guard Demontez Stitt sits out to rest his ankle.

Before flying to Boston on a two-game losing streak and 3-3 mark in ACC play, Purnell said Monday he wasn't ready to concede Clemson can't improve on last season's performance.

After consecutive winning seasons in the ACC, the Tigers are riding the conference median.

Clemson has scored 392 points and allowed 390 in ACC play.

"Offensively we probably won't be as good a shooting team, but we have a chance to be a better defensive team," Purnell said.

Against Duke, Clemson failed to create movement in the halfcourt -- a task undoubtedly made easier with an Oglesby-like talent being respected on the perimeter.

Oglesby made 5 of 11 3s last season in Clemson's 27-point win against Duke last season.

"We just have to make better decisions with the ball," Stitt said. "We have to be more patient. Watching film (of the Duke loss), we just made one or two passes and didn't really screen people … we really didn't make them move."

Clemson assistant coach Ron Bradley said the Tigers are better when the tempo is increased. But when the Tigers are not shooting efficiently they are also not in their full-court pressure defense as often.

The Tigers are shooting 41.6 percent from the field, down from 44.6 against the conference last season.

Most striking is the 3-point shooting.

Against the ACC last season, the Tigers shot 38.5 percent from behind the arc and took

22 3s per game. This season the Tigers are shooting 26.7 percent from 3 and are taking 16.8 3s per game.

Clemson made just 2 of 13 3-point attempts against Duke.

Not only was Oglesby an adept shooter, he was also without shooting conscience for better and for worse.

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After a torrid shooting display to begin the season, David Potter has made just 5 of his last 35 3-point attempts. Freshmen Noel Johnson and Milton Jennings were looked as potential floor-stretchers, but each has struggled adjusting to the college game.

Stitt said as a whole the Tigers are struggling with their confidence, though Bradley said a shooter like Potter can cure that with "one or two" shots.

A remedy the Tigers hope occurs soon.

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