For the second straight season, the Tigers will not compete in the NCAA Tournament.
With the NCAA Tournament bracket set, the Clemson men’s basketball team found themselves on the outskirts of the tournament, missing the big dance once again.
Going into the ACC Tournament, the Tigers were given a No. 3 seed. Clemson is the first No. 3 seed or higher in the ACC Tournament to miss March Madness since Virginia in 2000.
The Tigers, who were consistently seen outside of the bubble throughout the latter end of this season, hoped that their seven combined wins against Quadrant one and two opponents would persuade the selection committee enough, but they were unsuccessful.
Head coach Brad Brownell and his team found themselves in the first four out of the tournament, joining Oklahoma State, Rutgers and North Carolina as the first teams to fall just short of the competition.
Instead, Clemson stands as a No. 1 seed, along with Rutgers, Oregon and Oklahoma State, in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) bracket.
The 2023 NIT tournament will begin Tuesday, March 14, and will consist of 32 teams. Clemson will open play on Wednesday when it hosts Morehead State in Littlejohn Coliseum.
The semifinals will be held on March 28, followed by the Championship game two days later, on March 30.
During the ACC Tournament, the Tigers believed they belonged in the field of 68 after their blowout win against the NC State Wolfpack, defeating them for the third time this season. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack took a No. 11 seed in the tournament and will continue their season.
Other ACC teams that made the tournament are Duke, Virginia, Miami and Pittsburgh, who also took a No. 11 seed to secure an at-large bid.
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Clemson misses NCAA Tournament, will play in NIT
Griffin Barfield, Senior Reporter
March 13, 2023
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Griffin Barfield, Asst. Sports Editor
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