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Mays keeps undefeated start for Clemson going

Dec 20, 2006 - 6:15 AM CLEMSON, South Carolina (Ticker) -- James Mays' near-perfect shooting helped Clemson match last season's start.

Mays scored 22 points and Trevor Booker added 14 as the No. 22 Tigers posted a 72-60 victory over Georgia Southern.

The lone undefeated team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Clemson started a season at 11-0 for the second straight year.

Picked to place ninth in the ACC preseason poll, the Tigers have gotten out to their impressive start due to Mays, who finished 9-of-11 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. Clemson has won its last 22 games in which the junior forward is in the starting lineup.

Mays helped the Tigers pull away early, igniting a 14-0 run with a three-point play off an offensive rebound with 13:22 to play. He finished with eight points during the spurt, including the capping 3-pointer that gave Clemson a 22-7 lead with 10:08 remaining.

The Tigers led, 34-21, at intermission and claimed their largest lead at 40-21 on a bank shot by Mays with 17:54 to play. The Eagles got no closer than nine points thereafter.

Booker and Sam Perry also had seven rebounds for Clemson, which held a 37-33 edge on the boards and turned 12 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points.

Vernon Hamilton scored 13 points and K.C. Rivers 11 for the Tigers, who scored 22 points off 24 turnovers by Georgia Southern.

Donte Gennie finished with 19 points and Dwayne Foreman 17 for the Eagles (6-5), who committed 24 turnovers, leading to 22 points for the Tigers.

Louis Graham had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Georgia Southern, which dropped to 0-3 all-time against Clemson.