Clemson Tigers: 16-14, 6-12 in the ACC
Head coach: Brad Brownell (7th season)
Players to watch: Jaron Blossomgame (17.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG), Avry Holmes (11.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG), Shelton Mitchell (10.1 PPG, 3.4 APG)
Season recap: After going 10-2 in nonconference play, Clemson experienced its worst ACC finish in head coach Brad Brownell’s tenure, placing 12th in the conference. The Tigers’ Achilles’ heel proved to be late-game situations, as 11 of Clemson’s losses came by six points or fewer. But without a true marquee win on their resume, the Tigers find themselves on the outside of the NCAA tournament picture as they head to Brooklyn.
As was the case a year ago, Clemson is led by forward Jaron Blossomgame, who averages 17.3 points per contest. The Tigers have seven players averaging at least 7.5 points per game, but finding consistent production outside of Blossomgame has been a challenge all season. Clemson’s inability to move the ball on offense has made things even more difficult, and the Tigers have the second lowest assists per game average in the conference.
On the other end of the floor, Clemson’s intensity has been inconsistent, as the Tigers give up more than 70 points per game. Clemson heads to New York hoping to put it all together and spring multiple upsets, pushing its close-game struggles into the past.
How they make a run: The Tigers have proven they can hang tight with the best teams in the nation. If the role players around Blossomgame can take their play up a notch and Clemson makes just enough plays down the stretch, the Tigers may be able to get back onto the NCAA tournament bubble with a couple of wins.
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