Purnell, who has made around $700,000 for most of his five years at Clemson, has guided the Tigers to a 94-67 record, including a 49-20 mark the past two seasons -- the best two-year record of any coach in school history.
What has set the 54-year-old coach apart from his predecessors at Clemson is that the Tigers have improved each year under his watch. His first team went 10-18, but improved to 16-16 and qualified for the National Invitation Tournament the following season. His third team went 19-13 and advanced to the second round of the NIT and last season's squad went 25-11 -- matching the school record for most victories in a season -- and advanced to the NIT Final in New York City.
This season Purnell's team is 24-9, placed third in the ACC with a school-best 10-6 league record, and advanced to the ACC Tournament's championship game before losing to top-ranked North Carolina on Sunday. The team received the program's first NCAA Tournament bid in 10 years on Sunday and will meet Villanova Friday night in the first round of the tournament in Tampa, Fla.
Purnell is the 31st coach in NCAA history to take three teams to the Big Dance, although he has yet to record a win. His No. 15 Old Dominion team fell 88-69 to No. 2 Kentucky in 1992, and Dayton went twice (2003, 2000), losing first-round games to Washington and Purdue, respectively.
So what do you think?
I feel this is the right move for Klempson and he has something 'brewing.' Granted their non-conference schedule could be a little tougher but that is ok and proves to be smart. Seems he is coaching the kids on the team well and getting the most out of each of them. Let's be honest some of their big men are not great b-ball players but they play tough and as a team. Good god was that something nice about Clemson...I gotta quit on that note.
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