Steady improvement has been Clemson's record under coach Oliver Purnell, who got the Tigers back in the NCAA Tournament field last season after a nine-year absence.

In the last five years, the Tigers won 10 games, then 16 with an NIT berth, then 19 with another NIT, then 25 with a third consecutive NIT spot, and finally 24 with an NCAA berth in 2007-08.

Clemson looks again to finish high in the ACC standings and make it back to the field of 65 despite two key personnel losses. Four-year starter Cliff Hammonds has moved on after finishing as the No. 2 scorer and the top defender last season, and James Mays, too, is gone after providing rebounds and keying Clemson's press.

But the Tigers have the potential to become an NCAA Sweet 16 team.

Forward K.C. Rivers has led the team in scoring the last two years and was No. 2 in rebounding and No. 1 in assists last season. He can shoot the 3 (38.3 percent for his career) and provides steady leadership.

Another key veteran is Trevor Booker, who plays bigger inside than his 6-7 frame might imply. He, too, can play defense as well as score and rebound.

A third returning starter is point guard Demontez Stitt, who is only a sophomore but plays older.

One obvious choice for moving into a starting position is guard Terrence Oglesby, who gives the Tigers one of the top 3-point threats in the league. He was tied for second in the ACC on treys (85) despite not starting a game.

The other starting spot likely will go to Raymond Sikes, a 6-9 senior power forward, but the Tigers have other options.

If Purnell wants to go small, he can put 6-6 junior forward David Potter or 6-8 sophomore Jerai Grant on the floor. If he prefers a bigger lineup, he has 7-2 freshman Catalin Baciu to go to, at least for short periods.

Whether the Tigers will be able to generate the offense out of its full-court pressure defense as it has in the past will be a question that needs to be answered early. But with Rivers and Oglesby, they will have as a good a pair of 3-point shooters as there are in the league, and they should help open up things inside for Booker and Sykes.

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