On Saturday, No. 19 Clemson (15-4, 7-1 ACC) will take on the Virginia Tech Hokies (11-7, 1-6 ACC) at Littlejohn Coliseum.
This matchup is not the first time these two teams have met this season, as Clemson walked away with a hard-fought 68-65 victory on Jan. 4 in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Tigers are looking for a repeat performance this weekend.
Clemson has had a stellar first set of games in the ACC, starting 7-0 in conference play, which is now the greatest starting record in school history. Last week, the Tigers put the college basketball world on notice, defeating the No. 24 Duke Blue Devils in a statement win, which allowed them to enter The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in two years.
However, a tough loss against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Tuesday snapped their perfect ACC records, and head coach Brad Brownell wants his squad to regroup after the loss.
“We’ll learn from the film,” Brownell said after Tuesday’s loss. “(We’ll) readjust, take a deep breath and go back at it again.”
Clemson still has plenty to boast about going into this game. First, center PJ Hall is continuing a hot stretch of basketball, as the junior has been a key difference maker as of late, scoring 26 points against Duke and 22 against Wake Forest.
Joining Hall in the front court is fifth-year forward Hunter Tyson, who is also looking to continue an incredible season, thus far averaging a double-double with 15.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
However, the crucial difference in this game will not be by the big men but by the guards.
Clemson may be without junior guard Chase Hunter, who has averaged 14 points per game and leads the Tigers in assists this season. After injuring his foot against Duke, Hunter was forced to miss Tuesday’s pivotal game against Wake Forest.
“I think there’s a chance,” Brownell said of his playmaker’s return. “I won’t know that until practice the next couple of days.”
If Hunter cannot play on Saturday, it can make way for players like Joshua Beadle, Dillon Hunter and Chauncey Wiggins, the last of whom scored 10 points in 29 minutes off the bench against the Demon Deacons.
On the other side of the court is Virginia Tech, which is currently 1-6 in conference play. After their conference-opening win against the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Hokies have dropped six straight, with their last game being a 10-point loss to the No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers have scorers, however, as three players have averaged more than 13 points. Leading all scorers is sophomore guard Sean Pedulla, who is pouring in 16.4 points per game while also leading the team in assists.
Led by coach Mike Young, the Hokies find success beyond the arc, as five players shoot 33% or better from 3-point range, making it essential for the Tigers to guard the perimeter.
Virginia Tech is also eager for the return of senior guard Hunter Cattoor, who played his first game in over a month against the Cavaliers on Wednesday. With a 41.1% 3-point percentage, the Hokies are certainly glad to welcome him back, as his 3-and-D presence has been missed in the past several games.
Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. EST at Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday and will be broadcasted on ESPN2.
