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Clemson Basketball: Tigers trend upwards as NCAA Tourney approaches

By Shawn Spencer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 23: Ty Jerome
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 23: Ty Jerome /
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The Clemson basketball team continues to move up the rankings as we approach the NCAA Tourney. Here’s a look at the Tigers’ run through February and March.

The Clemson basketball team looked really good on Thursday, dismantling the Pitt Panthers on its way to a 9-3 record in the ACC.

The Tigers have continued to impress and are set up nicely for a run in the NCAA Tournament.

With a 20-4 overall record, Clemson has now garnered the respect of many national analysts and have taken more steps towards building the program through the success of this season.

Clemson jumps five spots in AP Poll:

Clemson basketball jumped five spots to No. 11 in the AP Poll. The Tigers are also ranked No. 12 in the Coaches’ poll.

That is a new record for Brad Brownell’s program.

Right now, the Tigers are the second-highest ranked team in the ACC behind the Virginia Cavaliers (No. 1 in the nation).

NCAA Selection Committee rankings:

More important than the AP poll is the fact that the NCAA Selection Committee released its first ranking of the top-16 teams in the country.

Clemson was the No. 9 team in the nation, good enough for a No. 3 seed in the tournament.

Here’s a look at the top-16:

  1. Virginia
  2. Villanova
  3. Xavier
  4. Purdue
  5. Auburn
  6. Kansas
  7. Duke
  8. Cincinnati
  9. Clemson
  10. Texas Tech
  11. Michigan State
  12. North Carolina
  13. Tennessee
  14. Ohio State
  15. Arizona
  16. Oklahoma

On to the next one…

Clemson basketball has two huge games this week that will go a long way in determining its’ ACC standing and even NCAA Tournament seed.

The Tigers will travel to Florida State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. then will have Duke at home on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Next: 2018 Early Position Outlook: Tight End

If Clemson can find a way to win one of these this week, I think they will have pretty much locked up a top-4 seed in the ACC Tournament and may solidify themselves as a top-4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as well.

But, there’s still plenty of basketball to be played so it will be interesting to see just how things play out.

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