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Booker, Clemson cruise past DePaul

Dec 22, 2007 - 3:58 AM GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico (Ticker) -- Trevor Booker and Clemson waited till the second half to have fun in the sun.

Booker scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half as No. 15 Clemson posted a 90-74 victory over DePaul in the second round of the San Juan Shootout on Friday.

Cliff Hammonds scored 15 points and Demontez Stitt had 14 for the Tigers (10-0), who have won 10 straight to open a season for the third year in a row.

Clemson, which faces Mississippi on Saturday, is looking for its second tournament title here after capturing its first in 2005.

The Tigers trailed, 41-40, at halftime but used a 28-12 second-half spurt capped by a pair of free throws by Booker to take a 68-53 lead with 10:31 left.

"Today was an example of a game where if we don't ratchet down in the second half, we're in trouble," Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said. "So it was good to see the team respond."

"In the second half I stepped up with more intensity, and we played more physical as a team," Booker said.

After Draelon Burns drilled a 3-pointer with 4:33 remaining to cut the Blue Demons' deficit to 77-67, Clemson finished the game outscoring DePaul, 13-7.

While the Tigers ratcheted up the offense for 50 points after the break, the Blue Demons were held to just 33.

"In the second, we decided to play defense the way Clemson plays defense," Hammonds said.

Booker had four points in the run, including a pair of free throws with 58 ticks on the clock to finish all scoring.

"We didn't have an answer for Booker," DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright said. "We physically were overpowered. I thought they absolutely manhandled us at every position."

Burns scored 27 points and Karron Clarke scored 14 for the Blue Demons (2-7), who have lost five straight for the first time since dropping six in a row from January 12-31, 2006.