The Clemson Insider
CLEMSON — Clemson has by no means gained an ACC Tournament in males’s basketball. Since, 1954 via 2025, the Tigers have misplaced in each event however one – the COVID canceled event in 2020.
If you might be doing the maths, the ACC Tournament has been held 71 instances, and 70 instances Clemson has returned dwelling with no championship trophy. He is the lone constitution member of the league to by no means win the event.
The Tigers’ possibilities of profitable their first ACC Tournament Championship this week will not be good, both. Clemson is within the bracket with each workforce, however one, that beats them this season.
Clemson (22-9, 12-6 ACC) will play Wake Forest on Wednesday at 9:30 pm, from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC The Demon Deacons, the No. 13 seed, downed No. 12 Virginia Tech in additional time on Tuesday.
If the Tigers win their second-round recreation, they’ll play No. 4 seed North Carolina on the identical time on Friday. If they win that, they’ll seemingly play top-seeded Duke or No. 8 Florida State or No. 9 California within the semifinals.
Five of Clemson’s six losses in league play have come from Duke, UNC, FSU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. The one win got here to California on Feb. 7.
What does it imply for the Tigers’ possibilities to lastly win an ACC Championship?
“I think it speaks to the quality of the league, number one,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell mentioned. “Virginia Tech and Wake Forest ending twelfth and thirteenth. Those are two fairly good groups.
“Wake Forest played one of the top seeds (in the NCAA Tournament), probably, in Michigan to a one-point game. Virginia Tech has had a really good year and kind of a hard-luck-year in some ways with a bunch of close losses. It kind of reminds me of our ’19 team that felt like we were stung a few times late in game stuff. They are both very talented. They are well coached and will be difficult matchups.”
Clemson misplaced to the Hokies (76-66) at dwelling on Feb. 11 after which at Wake (85-77) every week later.
What occurred in these two losses? Virginia Tech and the Demon Deacons shot lights out, particularly within the first half.
“I do not think we guarded as well as we need to in either game, and certainly that is a credit to them and the way those guys played,” Brownell mentioned. “I assumed they performed with nice tempo and obtained off to good begins in each video games, so it’s definitely troublesome.
“Defending is important, but it will be important for our team regardless.”
The Tigers are 24-70 all-time within the ACC Tournament.
