Virginia-Clemson make push for ACC shot clock era "record"

As Duke began to pull away from Maryland last night in Comcast Center, there was a minor distraction (at least for one person with an Internet connection sitting in the media section).

Down in Charlottesville, Virginia was busy fending off Clemson for a 49-47 victory in a game no one would likely deem a work of art.

It was the first game between ACC teams to end without either team scoring at least 50 points since 1997.

It was the fourth game between ACC schools in the shot clock era to end without a team in the 50s, and just the second in the 35-second clock era (remember, the clock was 45 seconds when introduced in the mid-1980s).

It was the first game (including nonconference play) involving an ACC team without a team scoring 50 points in more than five years (Wake Forest's memorable 47-40 barnburner against Richmond just before Christmas in 2005).

So, yeah, last night's festivities at John Paul Jones Arena were rare. But no records were broken, even if Clemson and Virginia gave it a good go.

For those wondering, the ACC coach with the most games in the shot clock era that didn't escape the 40s is, somewhat predictably, Herb Sendek with four. He was also involved in the only game with an ACC team that didn't even make it into the 40s with a shot clock, losing 38-36 to Princeton early in his second season.

The full rundown by school:

BOSTON COLLEGE (1)

2/26/2000: at Providence (L, 45-40)

CLEMSON (4)

1/25/1986: at Wake Forest (W, 46-43)
3/15/1990: vs. Brigham Young (W, 49-47)
11/30/1996: vs. Missouri (W, 47-45)
2/2/2011: at Virginia (L, 49-47)

DUKE (0)

FLORIDA STATE (1)

12/20/2003: vs. Chicago State (W, 47-42)

GEORGIA TECH (1)

11/30/1985: vs. Michigan (L, 49-44)

MARYLAND (1)

12/5/1985: at West Virginia (W, 42-41)

MIAMI (2)

1/13/1992: St. John's (W, 45-42)
2/16/2000: Providence (L, 47-45)

NORTH CAROLINA (1)

2/12/1997: at N.C. State (W, 45-44)

N.C. STATE (5)

1/18/1986: at Wake Forest (W, 45-44)
11/24/1996: Penn State (W, 44-41)
2/12/1997: North Carolina (L, 45-44)
11/12/1997: vs. Princeton  (L, 38-36)
11/30/2005: at Iowa (L, 45-42)

VIRGINIA (2)

12/1/2004: at Northwestern (W, 48-44)
2/2/2011: Clemson (W, 49-47)

VIRGINIA TECH (3)

2/4/1997: George Washington (W, 45-43)
2/18/1997: Temple (L, 45-41)
1/29/2000: Massachusetts (L, 49-41)

WAKE FOREST (3)

1/18/1986: N.C. State (L, 45-44)
1/25/1986: Clemson (L, 46-43)
12/22/2005: at Richmond (W, 47-40)

Comments

[sell gold watches]

Good game.