The Clemson Tigers visit VT for the first time since the first round of the 1995 NIT, when the Hokies beat the Tigers 62-54 on Tech's way to the NIT championship. Clemson won 56-54 at Florida State Wednesday night, breaking a 12-game road ACC losing streak for the Tigers and giving them their first win in conference play this season. For the Hokies, a home date with Clemson represents one of Tech's best chances to win an ACC game in VT's inaugural ACC season.

Key Players: The Tigers are led by senior C/F Sharrod Ford (6-9, 223), who scores 15.1 ppg and pulls down 7.8 rpg, both team highs. Ford's rebounding average is #7 in the ACC. The Hokies will count on Coleman Collins, who gets better every game as he recovers from foot surgery, to negate Ford and leave the game in the hands of the guards. Collins posted season highs of 18 points and 9 rebounds against Bethune-Cookman Wednesday night and is coming on strong.

Outside, Clemson boasts 6-2 junior guard Shawan Robinson, who shoots 42.4% from three-point range and is second on the team in scoring with 11.2 points per game. Robinson also leads the team in assists with 49. He's joined in the backcourt by 6-3 freshman Cliff Hammonds, the best among Clemson's 5-member freshman class at 9.8 points per game and 35% from three-point range.

Clemson's other two projected starters are 6-6 freshman forward Cheyenne Moore (5.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and junior forward Akin Akingbala (8.5 ppg, 5 rpg).

Key Stats:

• Clemson outrebounds their opponents 39.6 to 33.8 per game, while VT loses the rebounding battle 37.7 to 32.7.
  
  
• Despite the three-point accuracy of Robinson and Hammonds, the Tigers only shoot 32.5% from three-point range overall. VT is slightly better at 33.3%.
  
  
• Clemson (72.1 ppg) and VT (71.2 ppg) rank #10 and #11 in the conference in scoring.
  
  
• Clemson (60.8%) and VT (64.2%) rank #10 and #11 in the conference in free-throw percentage..
  
  
• The Hokies are dead-last in rebounding in the ACC at 32.7 per game, trailing #10 NC State (34.9 rpg) by over two boards per contest. Clemson is #7 at 38.7.
  
  
• Clemson averages 18.4 turnovers per game, while VT averages just 13.3.
  
  
• Jamon Gordon was leads the ACC in steals with 3.0 per game.