ANDERSON, S.C. - Anderson University head women's basketball coach Jimmy Garrity has announced that the Trojans will welcome Clemson for a preseason exhibition at the Abney Athletic Center on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.
"We are really excited to have Clemson on our schedule this year," Garrity said. "This is a game that makes a lot of sense with our schools being so close in distance. I want to thank Coach (Audra) Smith for agreeing to play us and giving our program this tremendous opportunity to compete against her talented squad. The majority of our fans are also Clemson supporters, so this should make for an exciting matchup."
AU is coming off a memorable 2014-15 season where it claimed its second South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship in the last three years, becoming the first women's basketball program to post 20 league wins for a season. The Trojans also advanced to their first Sweet 16 in 10 years, headlined by a Round-of-32 upset win over No. 3 Columbus State. Despite a setback in Southeast Regional championship, Anderson finished the year ranked No. 24 in the final Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll.
The Tigers are coming off a disappointing 9-21 season where they finished winless away from Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson is slated to lose its top four scorers from a season ago, including Nikki Dixon, who dropped in 15.2 points per game. Sophomore Cha'nelle Perry is the lone starter that is scheduled to return to the lineup for the Tigers as she averaged 6.7 points per game and just over 3.5 rebounds per contest. Audra Smith, who came to Clemson after nine seasons as the head coach at Alabama-Birmingham, begins her third season with the Orange and Purple in 2015-16.
The preseason contest will be the second time the Trojans and Tigers tangle in the last three seasons. In the previous meeting, AU shocked Clemson in a preseason exhibition by pulling off the upset, 72-65, on Nov. 2, 2012 at Littlejohn. Since the victory, the Trojans have gone 0-4 in exhibitions against Division I opponents. Excluding a double-digit loss to national power South Carolina in 2012, the Trojans have dropped their last three exhibitions to Division I teams by an average margin of just 6.3 points.
Garrity is scheduled to return three starters from one of the most talented rosters in program history. Anderson is slated to carry four seniors, headlined by SAC All-Tournament and Southeast Regional All-Tournament selection, Jasmine Franklin and fellow starter, Jennifer Monroe.
