Clemson College

Clemson basketball coach Oliver Purnell wants to see more teams in the NCAA Tournament.

A lot more.

Purnell, recently named president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, said he and many other coaches are in favor of making the tournament more inclusive. While some advocate the addition of a few teams to the 65-team field, Purnell said he would prefer doubling it.

The field expanded from 48 to 64 in 1985 and added a 65th spot in 2001.

"I think most coaches side with expanding the tournament," said Purnell, who has coached the Tigers for three seasons. "Over the next year, there will be a lot of discussion. I think it will be a hot-button topic."

In the eyes of many coaches, this year's tournament justified the notion of tournament expansion.

Several teams from major conferences were left out as mid-major teams received an unusual number of at-large bids. George Mason, from the Colonial Athletic Conference, became the first No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four since 1986.

Purnell's team finished 7-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 19-13 overall but ended up in the National Invitation Tournament for the second consecutive season. The ACC had two "bubble" teams, Florida State and Maryland, that were left out of the NCAAs despite conference records of 9-7 and 8-8, respectively.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said in late March that he was in favor of adding four to six teams to the field, but Purnell said wouldn't mind having 130 teams in the field. Last season, there were 328 teams in Division I.

Purnell is the first Clemson coach in any sport to serve as a national president of a coaches association. He previously served as vice president for the NABC.

"Let's say you're at 115 teams," he said. "You're being done a favor to be let in, but it ensures that nobody deserving gets left out. What's wrong with making sure the top 100 teams in the country are rewarded with going to postseason play? And if you're not any good, you're going to get weeded out, just like that."

Purnell said the NCAA, which has the ultimate say in the matter, is probably less than enthusiastic about a dramatic change or any change at all. The tournament has become a spectacular success since the field increased from 48 teams, with "March Madness" blooming into a national phenomenon thanks largely to the popularity of filling out brackets and the regularity of upsets in the first and second rounds.

Adding teams to the field would create logistical issues that Purnell said the NCAA probably isn't willing to confront.

"I think they feel like it's problematic right now," Purnell said of the NCAA. "They feel like our game is pretty good, so why mess around with it? Because anytime you're talking about making a major change, that's a lot of headaches."

Purnell said the NABC's board of directors will decide whether to move forward with the issue at the organization's May meeting. If the board votes to support expansion, the topic will be discussed further at a July meeting of NABC head coaches.

Purnell said the NBA's decision to pass an age limit could make an expanded tournament even more exciting by showcasing more talent. The NBA's limit mandates that players joining the league must turn at least 19 during the year in which they are drafted and be at least one year removed from their high school graduating class.

"One more weekend doubles the tournament, and you do that with freshmen coming back in and being in college basketball for a year? Man, the excitement - you wouldn't be able to measure it," Purnell said. "The NCAA Tournament committee and those kinds of people are going to have to answer, 'Why not?'"

Minnesota will host Clemson odds on Nov. 29 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge men's basketball tournament, it was announced Tuesday.

The Challege opener pits Michigan at North Carolina State at 6 p.m. Nov. 27. On Nov. 28, it will be Maryland at Illinois at 6 p.m., Florida State at Wisconsin at 6:30, Penn State at Georgia Tech at 7, Indiana at Duke at 8 and Miami at Northwestern at 8:30. On Nov. 29, it'll be Michigan State at Boston College at 6, Virginia at Purdue at 6:30, Iowa at Virginia Tech at 7, Ohio State at North Carolina at 8 and Clemson at the Gophers at 8:30.

Minnesota's and Wisconsin's games will be on ESPN2.

Will Wade has been promoted to Clemson's director of men's basketball operations.

Wade had been a graduate assistant this past season for Tigers coach Oliver Purnell. Wade takes over for Alex Welp, who left to go into business in Richmond, Va.

Wade had been a student assistant and head manager for the men's basketball team during his four years at Clemson. He graduated in 2005.

Last winter, Wade helped the Tigers with organizing recruiting, opponent scouting, film work and assistant with team travel.

 Keith Richard will return as basketball coach at Louisiana Tech next year and will receive a contract extension in the near future.

Richard's status was clouded, despite a 20-win campaign in 2005-06, because of several off-the-court issues, but athletics director Jim Oakes said the school has looked at those issues and is comfortable with what they found.  The most serious of the issues was Tech's inclusion in a cbssportsline.com investigative piece, linking the Bulldog basketball program with D1 Scheduling, a company founded by Los Angeles Community College coach Mike Miller. According to the report, Miller delivered players to certain schools that paid to have the company arrange games. Last season Tech had two players from LACC ? Michael Wilds and Chad McKenzie. D1 Scheduling had arranged for Tech to play in the Iowa State tournament next year.

But Oakes said after investigating the matter, he is satisfied that Richard and the basketball program did nothing wrong. He also said they have contacted Iowa State officials and intend to pull out of the tournament.

"We've closely examined the issues raised in the cbssportsline.com article and there have not been any NCAA violations discovered here or at the other schools mentioned in the article,'' Oakes said. "Keith has repeatedly reassured us his scheduling of games had nothing to do with the recruitment of any players.''

Richard, who just completed his eighth season as head coach and 12th overall at Tech, led the Bulldogs to a tie for second place in the Western Athletic Conference this past season plus a berth in the NIT. Clemson  defeated Tech in the first round of the NIT.

"I've stood behind my stance all along and we're ready to move on," Richard said. "We're talking about extending my contract and I'm glad to hear that."

Richard enters next season in the final year of his contract. Richard was hired in 1998 to replace Jim Wooldridge and operated his first season without a contract. After guiding Tech to a 19-9 record his first year, he was rewarded with a five-year deal.

After the 2001-02 season, Richard guided Tech to a 22-10 record and 14-4 record its first season in the WAC. The Bulldogs earned a berth to the NIT and advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Villanova. After that season Richard signed a five-year extension, which runs out after next year.

According to Oakes, they are working on a one-year extension that would tie Richard to the school through the 2007-08 season, but would not include a raise.

The Tigers are 18-11 overall 7-9 in the ACC and enter the first round game on Thursday at noon against Miami on a three-game winning streak for the first time since 1964. So, should they beat Miami and then the Blue Devils on Friday, are they likely to get into the NCAA Tournament.

In a word, no, said Lunardi, who has only missed one team over the last three years in his postseason predictions. ?They?re not on anyone?s radar right now. There are 15 teams right now fighting for seven spots and I don?t even have them in my top 20.

?That would theoretically get them to 9-9 in the league and then you?d be comparing them to all the other bubble teams in the league, Florida State and Maryland, as well as all the bubble teams in all the major conferences. They need those two games just to get into the discussion.?

As it stands now, there are a couple of factors that are hurting Clemson chances. First, being ranked No. 70 in the RPI (Rating Percentage Index) Poll is the biggest problem. Also, the Tigers? strength of schedule ranks 59th, meaning all those non-conference against nobodies actually hurt them more than helps.

Sometimes it?s better to take a loss against a very good team than to beat a very bad team.

Basketball watchers everywhere like to say that the winner of the NIT is the 66th-best team in the country.

Of course that?s not true, but people still poke fun at those partaking in the ?Not Invited Tournament.? However, those involved take it very seriously, as well they should.

By just taking a quick glace at some of the teams involved, it?s clear that it isn?t a cakewalk to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden, the most famous arena in all of sports.

?I feel like we were two free throws and a stop away (from the NCAA Tournament), but you?ve got to take what you?re given,? said Tigers senior guard Shawan Robinson. ?It?s a great opportunity. We want to ride it out as far as we can ? hopefully to the Garden and a national championship. It?s not the national championship, but it is a national championship.

?I want to live to play another day. When we lose it?s over, and I realize that. Every practice could be your last. Most of us have it figured out ? you?ve got 12 days left, and that?s if you go all the way. That?s what I intend to do. I want to make my career last another game.?

In order to fulfill his goal of making it to New York City, Robinson and the Tigers have to go into another famous basketball arena and take on one of the most famous basketball coaches from any league.

Clemson  plays at 7 p.m., Monday night at Louisville, which plays in Freedom Hall and is coached by the renowned Rick Pitino.

Even though the Cardinals had a season far worse than expected, it?s still Louisville, Pitino and Freedom Hall.

?It?s one of those historic, legendary gyms right in there with Cameron Indoor and the Dean Smith Center,? Robinson said. ?It?s great to get a chance to play against a great institution as well as Coach Pitino.?

Even as famous as the program and the coach are, Clemson coach Oliver Purnell understands the task at hand, but he?s not daunted by the prospect of trying to get a win.

?They?re a storied basketball program ? a good team,? he said. ?And we?ve got to go to their place, so it?s going to be quite a challenge. ?

?Every game gives you something else to motivate you. I think we?ll be motivated because of Louisville ? their name, going out there on the road, a chance to get 20 wins, and a chance to continue to advance in this tournament and a chance to be a champion.

?I coach in the ACC, so it?s (Mike) Krzyzewski one night, Roy Williams the next night, Gary Williams the next night so it doesn?t really do much for me. I know Rick. I think he?s a fantastic coach, but we?ve gone against those kinds of people all year long.?

Louisville begins and ends with star guard Taquan Dean, who is averaging 16.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He is the one of the main reasons the Cardinals went to the real Final Four.

Dean loves to drive to the hoop, as well as stand in the perimeter and jack up three-pointers. He literally is a player who can do it all.

He will be Clemson?s main focus and if the Tigers are successful in slowing him down, they will likely be just one more win shy of NYC.

And Purnell expects nothing less.

?We?ve struggled sometimes with dribble penetration,? Purnell said. ?I think when we?re focused in on stopping the dribble penetration, we can be pretty good.

?I think we?ll have to play better, be more consistent. We can?t let up at all. It?s got to be one of those 15-round deals. One of the tremendous things about this team is its ability to get ready to play; it?s something we?ve grown to rely upon no matter what the circumstances.?

Insomniacs everywhere rejoice -- Clemson   and Louisiana Tech conjured up the ultimate cure for your woes with Wednesday's National Invitation Tournament opener.

That is if you can actually track down video evidence. Luckily the Tigers' 69-53 win wasn't televised, therefore ensuring that ESPN will actually keep showing college basketball.

The Littlejohn Coliseum atmosphere and the on-court action was the hoops equivalent of swallowing a couple of muscle relaxers and chasing them down with a shot of Nyquil.

The crowd was so quiet (probably in shock over the lackluster play) that you could actually hear Dr. James Naismith spinning in his grave over what the two teams were doing to his precious game.

The six combined fast break points (zero for Clemson) conjured up pre-shot clock days and make it mandatory to double-check for peach baskets attached to the backboards.

It seems nearly that long since Clemson won a postseason game, but that last happened when the Tigers made a run to the 1999 NIT championship game. This was hardly the type of performance that will induce a high level of excitement for a team that showed significant progress late this season.

Coach Oliver Purnell said just being awarded a tournament home game "was a major step forward for our program" but the game itself didn't come close to approaching that same sentiment.

"I didn't think we played our best basketball, but thought we played well in stretches," Purnell said. "We face a tough matchup, probably at Louisville, but were are in the ACC so we're used to challenges."

Louisiana Tech's one-man gang, consisting of the nation's leading rebounder Paul Millsap, was the type of smaller conference postseason pretender the Tigers or any other ACC member should have run clear out of the coliseum.

The type of match-up where the Tigers should have been able to empty their bench with significant time left.

Instead, they played down to the level of their competition, and instead of heading to a likely matchup at Louisville with momentum on full-tilt, it's time to rejuvenate the enthusiasm a bit.

"We didn't play our best," Clemson center Akin Akingbala said. "I'm not sure we're going to play Louisville, but we're assuming they'll beat Delaware State. We can't play like we played tonight and need to step it up next game."

Akingbala and Clemson's free-throw shooting were the game's two brightest spots. The Tigers made 15 straight in one second half stretch, although they were nursing a double-digit lead and not in dire need of makes, and finished 20-of-25 from the line.

Meanwhile, the senior center was the focal point due to the presence of Millsap, a senior who is leading the nation in rebounding for the third straight season. Millsap's nine boards were 4.4 under his average while his 19 points were close to his 19.7.

Millsap played only 12 first-half minutes after accumulating three fouls. Akingbala scored 16 on 7-of-12 shooting and added 11 rebounds.

"There was so much talk about him coming into the game," Akingbala said. "He's a good player, but you can't be intimidated by anybody."