After a record-breaking regular season, Clemson’s basketball has its sights set on winning its first ACC Tournament since its inception in 1953.
The No. 10 Tigers (26-5, 18-2 ACC) capped off their regular season with an 18-point win against Virginia Tech on Saturday night, marking their eighth consecutive victory. The team has now won 14 of its previous 15 games.
The win marked the Tigers’ 18th conference victory of the season, setting a program record and becoming just the third team in ACC history to accomplish the feat. It was also their 15th ACC victory by double digits — another school record.
With the season’s success, Clemson earned the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, securing a coveted double-bye alongside Duke, Louisville and Wake Forest, which lets the Tigers avoid playing in the first two days of the five-day tournament.
Despite its strong season, Clemson’s ACC Tournament success over the years is less than stellar, failing to win the championship in the 71 years of the tournament’s history. It’s the only team among the eight original members of the ACC that hasn’t hoisted the tournament’s trophy. The Tigers will need to win three consecutive games for the first time ever to win the championship.
While Clemson enjoys the first two days of the tournament to rest, the Tigers will have their eyes on two games: Florida State against Syracuse on Tuesday and the winner of that game versus SMU on Wednesday. They will then play the winner of that matchup on Thursday in a survive and advance format.
The ACC Tournament runs Tuesday through Saturday and will be held at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
As for Clemson, it plays its first game on Thursday at 9:30 p.m., which will air on ESPN or ESPN2. The Tigers will continue to play into the weekend, depending on their success.
Following the ACC Tournament, NCAA Tournament seedings will be announced on Sunday.