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Booker, Clemson dispatch Georgia State to remain unbeaten

Jan 1, 2007 - 1:22 AM CLEMSON, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Trevor Booker wanted to make sure Clemson remained perfect entering conference play.

Booker scored 15 points and collected 12 rebounds as No. 21 Clemson continued its perfect start, posting a 67-57 victory over Georgia State.

K.C. Rivers had 13 points off the bench and Cliff Hammonds added 11 and three steals for the Tigers (14-0), who remain one of only three teams in the Division I without a loss. Pac-10 Conference squads UCLA and Oregon are the others.

The win helps Clemson enter the Atlantic Coast Conference part of its schedule with its best start since 1986-87 when that team began a school-record 17-0. The Tigers next travel to Florida State on Wednesday.

"We've played some ACC-caliber teams," Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said about the early-season schedule. "The difference is now we play them every night."

Booker shot 7-of-10 from the field and also had three blocks for the Tigers, who shot 42 percent (24-of-57) in improving to 4-0 all-time vs. the Panthers.

"I just try and come out with a lot of energy," Booker said. "Some people still look at it as we're not a good team. We've got to keep working as hard as we have."

"Booker gets us going," Clemson forward James Mays said. "His presence inside really means a lot to this team."

Rashad Chase had 16 points and nine rebounds and Leonard Mendez scored added 12 for Georgia State (4-7), which also shot 42 percent (23-of-55) but committed 20 turnovers, resulting in 23 points for Clemson.

The Tigers had 16 turnovers, but the Panthers were unable to capitalize, managing just 10 points off those miscues.

"We had a couple of offensive possessions at the end of the game where Clemson had just turned it over, but we didn't execute," Georgia State coach Michael Perry said.

Georgia State has lost four of its last five games, and are 0-3 vs. the ACC this season.