With January coming to a close and March right around the corner, fans are turning their attention to college basketball. With teams solidifying their tournament resumes, it’s a perfect time to take a look at Clemson’s current March Madness predictions.
Coming off an Elite Eight run in last season’s tournament, the Tigers were expected to take a step back following the departures of stars PJ Hall and Joseph Girard III. Despite the projections, Clemson finds itself No. 2 in the ACC at 18-4 (10-1 ACC), winning six consecutive games and nine of its last 10 contests.
Clemson’s season has seen its share of highs and lows, highlighted by a win against No. 4 Kentucky and tough back-to-back overtime losses against Memphis and South Carolina. Its bracket resume boasts a NET ranking of 29, a 2-2 record against quadrant one teams, another 6-2 record versus quad two opponents and a perfect 10-0 when playing quadrant three and four teams.
With the success, TeamRankings gives Clemson a 98% chance to make the tournament, with its most likely seed being at the five spot. Most experts put the Tigers somewhere between a No. 5 and No. 8 seed.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi currently has Clemson as a No. 7 seed, setting up a game against Ohio State. CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm slots the Tigers as a No. 6 seed, where the team would face a winner of a First Four game.
With key matchups against Duke, Florida State, SMU and the ACC Tournament still ahead, there’s plenty of time to see how Clemson’s season will unfold and how its ranking will be solidified.
If the Tigers are to make another deep postseason run, look for Chase Hunter to be directing the way. Clemson head coach Brad Brownell understands the sixth-year senior’s leadership better than anyone.
“(Chase) doesn’t have to make a bunch of shots, just his presence on the floor,” Brownell said. “There’s a calming effect with your best player being out there.”
The Tigers look to continue their momentum in their next game on Tuesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum, where the team will face Georgia Tech at 9 p.m.
