NC State
Clemson
Wolfpack Fends Off Tigers In Two Overtimes
1/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2006
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Ilian Evtimov didn't want to think about what a second-straight loss would've meant to NC State.
Thanks to his play in two overtime periods, Evtimov won't have to trouble himself.
Evtimov scored 11 of his season-high 22 points in the two overtimes to lead 15th-ranked Wolfpack to a 94-85 victory over Clemson on Sunday.
The Pack (16-4, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) were only seconds away from following an 83-65 home embarrassment to Seton Hall on Wednesday with losing two in a row for the first time this season.
Instead, Evtimov said his team showed its character at Littlejohn Coliseum.
"It was a real gutcheck for us. We couldn't leave here with a with a loss," Evtimov said. "Obviously losing at home to Seton Hall was a hard-learned lesson. We can't let that repeat itself."
Still, it nearly did. Cliff Hammonds stepped to the foul line with Clemson up 71-69 and 9.9 seconds to go. But Hammonds went only 1-of-2, and NC State took advantage with Cameron Bennerman hitting a 3-pointer to tie it at 72 with 2.4 seconds left in regulation.
Bennerman said he never wondered about the shot going in. "If you have any doubt, you're probably going to miss it," he said. "I had all the confidence in the world. My teammate (Tony Bethel) found me and I was able to knock it down."
Evtimov added: "It takes a real man to make that type of shot in that situation."
After Bennerman tied it up, Evtimov took over.
He started the first overtime with two foul shots and had a bucket to put the Wolfpack up 77-75. He put things away for good in the second OT period, hitting four straight free throws. When Bennerman followed with the Wolfpack's season-high 15th 3-pointer, they were up 86-79 with 2:18 left in the second extra period.
"Just down the stretch we had to make some plays," Evtimov said. "I posted up a few times and got some free throws out of that and a reverse layup, doing things to make sure we win."
Poor foul shooting cost Clemson (14-6, 3-4) again. Earlier this month, the Tigers were 6-of-21 from the foul line in a 10-point loss to Duke. Besides Hammonds' chance to put North Carolina State away at the end of regulation, Sam Perry could have extended Clemson's 79-78 lead with two foul shots at the end of the first overtime. Instead, Perry missed both and that allowed NC State to force a second OT on Cedric Simmons' free throw.
Clemson was only 21-of-37 on foul shots, including 7-of-12 in the two overtimes.
"It's disappointing that you don't get the job done when you had the chance in your hands," Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said.
Purnell said the coaching staff has tried to improve the team's free-throw shooting, a problem which the coach admitted was probably as much mental as technique.
"It's a conversation we've had before," he said.
Shawan Robinson led Clemson with 22 points, surpassing 1,000 points for his career.
Bennerman and Engin Atsur each had 17 points and each hit four 3-pointers for North Carolina State. Evtimov and Tony Bethel had three 3s apiece. Bethel finished with 14 points, six assists and just one turnover and Evtimov also had 10 rebounds.
"Our team had a lot of resolve today," North Carolina State coach Herb Sendek said. "We showed a lot of grit and determination."
