Clemson’s men’s basketball is off to its best start in years.
Led by head coach Brad Brownell, the Tigers are in sole possession of first place in the ACC after taking down Pittsburgh on the road last week.
The win over the Panthers marked the fifth straight victory for the Tigers (13-3, 5-0 ACC), who are the only team in the ACC with a perfect in-conference record.
After missing the NCAA Tournament last season, the hot start bodes well for Clemson’s chances of returning to it in March for the first time in two years.
“The expectations within our program are high, and accountability is there, so our guys just keep playing,” Brownell said after the Pittsburgh game. “This year’s team is probably a little more talented, we’re older, and so we’re reaping the benefits of some of that.”
The 5-0 record in ACC play ties the best in-conference start in program history with the 1996-1997 team, which reached the Sweet 16.
But if Clemson even wants to sniff the Sweet 16, it will need Hunter Tyson to continue his recent stretch of play.
The fifth-year forward scored a career-high 31 points in the Tigers’ win over NC State on Dec. 30 and has scored in double-digits in all but one game this season.
After missing significant time last year with a broken collarbone, Tyson is averaging a double-double with 15.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season.
“He puts in the time,” Brownell said of Tyson. “He’s worked unbelievably hard. He’s really a professional with how he goes about it and his approach. You talk to our young guys to watch him and emulate what he’s like day to day because he’s like a grown-up.”
Right behind Tyson are guard Chase Hunter and forward/center PJ Hall, who are scoring 14.6 and 12.5 points per game, respectively.
Clemson’s success has fizzled out in past seasons, so Brownell and his team aren’t getting ahead of themselves.
“We’re excited to be in important games and happy with how we’re playing, but there’s 15 games to go in the league. It’s two months of basketball,” Brownell said. “We’re just trying to improve. We’re still tinkering with our team and our lineups and how we’re trying to be successful. So, we’re focusing on that.”
The Tigers will be back in action on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST when they host Louisville (2-14, 0-5 ACC) at Littlejohn Coliseum.
