Clemson Takes On Kansas In The Sweet Sixteen In Omaha

Clemson who is out of the Atlantic Coast Conference  and a fifth seed will meet top ranked  Kansas in the sweet sixteen who is out of the Big 12 Conference Friday night in the Midwest Region.

Clemson comes into the sweet sixteen with a record of 25-9 "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=28500&SPID=103715&SPSID=657833 and advanced with their win over Auburn who is a member of the South Eastern Conference in the NCAA Tournament.

Gabe DeVoe scored 22 points and Elijah Thomas added 18 points and 11 rebounds, as No. 5 seed Clemson defeated No. 4 seed Auburn 84-53 in dominating fashion on Sunday at Viejas Arena. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

The victory sends Clemson to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament  for the first time since 1997. The 31-point victory margin was the largest for Clemson in an NCAA Tournament game and the largest for the Tigers in any game against a top-25 team. Auburn was ranked No. 19 in the AP poll entering the tournament. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

“I told the team before we started here that we had just played 20 games against teams in a great league,” said Tiger head coach Brad Brownell. “I thought we were prepared for anything based on what we had done. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

“The team was bouncing off the ceiling to play before the first game (against New Mexico State), but today there was a calm about them in the locker room.  We were focused from the beginning, and after we made some corrections in defensive rebounding, we were in good shape.” "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

The previous record for victory margin by the Tigers against a top-20 team was 27 in a 74-47 win over Duke on Feb. 4, 2009."according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

DeVoe scored 22 points in each of the two games in San Diego and has eight games of 20+ points this year, including seven in his last 14. He became the first Tiger to have consecutive 20-point games in one NCAA Tournament since Elden Campbell in 1989."according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

DeVoe made 6-9 three-point attempts, a record for made threes by a Tiger in an NCAA Tournament game. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

Thomas made 7-10 shots from the field on the way to his 18-point game, and it was his ninth double-double of the season. Marcquise Reeded at 16 points and seven rebounds, while Shelton Mitchell added 10 points, six rebounds and six assists.

The Tigers dominated the game in every fashion, as they outrebounded Auburn 50-32, had 19 assists against just seven turnovers and held Auburn to 26-percent shooting from the field, including 22 percent on three-point attempts. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

The two teams played on even terms early. The game was tied three times within the first eight minutes, including 13-13 at the 12:39 mark. With the score 18-15 in favor of Clemson, the Tigers went on a 17-0 run over the next 7:48 to take a 35-15 lead. Clemson grew the margin to 43-19 at halftime. The 24-point lead was Clemson’s largest in an NCAA Tournament game. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

The Tigers then put the game away in the first 3:34 of the second half by outscoring Auburn 13-5 to take a 32-point lead at 56-24. Clemson’s largest lead was 41 points, a margin it first realized at the 11:33 mark with a 70-29 advantage. Auburn cut the margin to 29 points at the 4:17 mark (77-48), but that was as close as the SEC Tigers could get. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=657841&SPID=103715&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=211706764

Kansas advanced after edging Seton Hall. 

Jayhawk redshirt-sophomore guard Malik Newman scored 18 points in the final 10 minutes of regulation to help lift No. 1 seed Kansas past the No. 8-seed Seton Hall Pirates, 83-79, in the second round of the NCAA Championship inside INTRUST Bank Arena Saturday Night. Newman led all scorers with 28 points as Kansas advanced to its third-straight Sweet 16 and 10th in the last 15 seasons. " according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
The win improved Kansas to 29-7 in 2017-18 and gave the Jayhawks 29 victories for the third-straight year and eighth time under head coach Bill Self. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
After KU led by more than 13 points in the second half and the upset-minded Pirates quickly trimming the Jayhawk advantage, Newman exploded for 18 of his team's final 23 points, which included a pair of 3-pointers and eight free throws to help KU withstand the upset bid. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
The Jayhawks were focused in right from the tip, and while the shots were falling on the offensive end, KU's defense is what stifled the Pirates in the early minutes. Seton Hall hit just three of its first 13 shots while the Jayhawks also forced six turnovers, all within the opening eight minutes of action. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
Meanwhile, Kansas was able to build a 13-6 lead by the under-12 minute media timeout, and extended it to 15-6 with an emphatic alley-oop slam by freshman forward Silvio De Sousa to cap a 10-0 Jayhawk run and force a timeout by Seton Hall head man Kevin Willard. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
The Pirates came out the timeout and constructed a quick 7-0 spurt of their own, cutting the score to 15-13, all while Kansas endured a scoring drought of more than three minutes. Despite a Newman lay-in and a Devonte' Graham free throw, Seton Hall kept its momentum. The Pirates put together an 11-2 run to claim their first lead of the game, with Angel Delgado sinking back-to-back buckets to put his team ahead, 24-20, with 4:44 left in the opening stanza. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
The Jayhawks ended the half strong though. Senior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk drove into the lane for back-to-back lay-ins before Newman connected on his first 3-pointer of the game to put KU up 28-24 with 90 seconds before the intermission."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
After a pair of missed Seton Hall free throws, Newman beat the halftime buzzer with a long 3-point heave and the Jayhawks headed to the locker room with a 31-26 lead after ending the half on an 11-2 run. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
Mykhailiuk and Udoka Azubuike helped KU put Seton Hall on their heels to start the second half. The senior-sophomore combo accounted for all nine Jayhawk points of a 9-4 KU run to start the period. When Graham found a sprinting Newman down the court for a fast break lay-up, the Jayhawk lead got to double-digits for the first time on the night at 44-34 with 15:16 left to play. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
Junior guard Lagerald Vick then caught fire, scoring eight-straight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers as the Jayhawks extended their advantage to 13 points just three minutes later."according tohttp://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx 
 
Both squads traded baskets over the next two minutes, but the Jayhawk shooters would soon go cold. Kansas went on to convert on just one field goal during more than four minutes of game action and the Pirates were able to chip away at the deficit. "according tohttp://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx 
 
Delgado scored six of his 24 points during an 11-3 Seton Hall run that whittled the Jayhawk edge to four points, 63-59, still with more than four minutes left in regulation. Newman helped the Jayhawks weather the storm though, as he came up with seven-straight points while KU managed to keep the No. 8-seed at arm's length and carried a six-point lead into the final three minutes. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
With less than 90 seconds remaining and Kansas ahead by five, Newman found Mykhailiuk at the top of the key, where the senior promptly swished his second and biggest 3-pointer of the night. The shot gave the Jayhawks a 71-63 advantage as the Pirates began to go in desperation mode. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
                                                     
Seton Hall converted on three desperation 3-pointers over the final 30 seconds of regulation, but KU hit all 10 of its free throw attempts in the final minute to hold off the Pirates and close out the 83-79 victory. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
Newman, who topped 20 points for the fourth time in his last five games, led all scorers with 28 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Mykhailiuk added 16 points, 10 of which came in the second half, while Vick contributed 13 points, which included three 3-pointers. Azubuike rounded out the Jayhawks to score in double figures, posting 10 points and pulling down seven rebounds in 22 minutes. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx
 
Kansas finished the game shooting 50 percent (28-of-56) from the field, and hitting 9-of-21 tries from 3-point range. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/17/mens-basketball-sweet-16-bound-newmans-heroics-propel-jayhawks-past-pirates-83-79.aspx

Tip-off is set for 7:07pm from Century Link Center. The game will be televised on CBS. "according to http://www.clemsontigers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=103715&SPSID=657833&DB_OEM_ID=28500