Freshman Terrence Oglesby, No. 18 Tigers cruise past East Carolina, 82-67

 

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) -Freshman Terrence Oglesby hit six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 22 points Wednesday night to help No. 18 Clemson beat East Carolina 82-67.
Fellow rookie Demontez Stitt had 13 points and five assists for the Tigers (8-0), who took control midway through the first half and never looked back.
Sam Hinnant scored 16 points to lead the Pirates (3-5), who led by three early before Clemson’s defense locked down to fuel a 17-point spurt and help the Tigers build a big halftime lead. East Carolina fell to 0-57 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference teams, and faces another one – North Carolina State – here Saturday.
East Carolina’s respect-starved fans were eager to see an ACC school come to Minges Coliseum for the first time in nearly four decades. After all, the league – particularly powers Duke and North Carolina located about 90 miles west – have long hogged the spotlight while the Pirates have had to fight for any attention once basketball season arrives.
But the Tigers sure didn’t allow much room for optimism once the game began. Despite playing again without injured forward James Mays (hip), Clemson pushed ahead for good with a stickback dunk and free throw from Raymond Sykes about 7 minutes in before taking a 47-29 lead at the break.
Oglesby, who had nine points in the first half, kept the pressure on after halftime. After East Carolina had closed to within 14 midway through the half, he knocked down a 3-pointer to answer the Pirates’ push. He then drained another one off a kickout to make it 60-39 with 12:14 left.
He hit his final 3 – a straightaway shot from about five feet behind the arc – to make it 67-44 with 9 1/2 minutes left. He finished 7-for-9 from the field and 6-for-7 from 3-point range, far above his season averages of 8.6 points and 31-percent shooting from long range.
Trevor Booker led Clemson with 17 rebounds, part of Clemson’s 50-26 rebounding advantage for the game. Clemson also scored 20 second-chance points and shot 47 percent, including 12-for-24 from 3-point range.