Clemson basketball coach Brad Brownell spent the weekend on the Grand Strand checking out the talent at the Big Shots AAU Tournament. Brownell told WPDE's Mark Haggard that he's glad that Clemson and Coastal Carolina have a three year agreement to play basketball. The first matchup is set for November 21st at Littlejohn Coliseum. The dates and location for 2012 and 2013 have not been solidified. Clemson will come to the Grand Strand for one of those two dates. CCU head coach Cliff Ellis was a former head man at Clemson and Brownell has great respect for the Chants head man.
"It's not surprising to those of us in the coaching business that he's come down here and had a lot of success, has won 20 plus games a couple years in a row," Brownell said. "It's a good game for us from a lot of standpoints. We know we are going to be tested. We know it's going to help our RPI because they are going to have a good year and it creates great interest in the state and our Clemson fans on the Grand Strand."
The Tigers finished 22-12 with a 9-7 mark in ACC play reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Brownell's first season. Coastal Carolina has won 28 games for the past two seasons reaching the NIT both times.
In other Clemson basketball news, sophomore guard Cory Stanton has announced that he's transferring and leaving the Tigers program. He averaged 2.4 points per game and just over 10 minutes a night in 2010/11.
