Clemson basketball: Full history of NCAA Tournament appearances

Full history of Clemson basketball NCAA Tournament appearances

The Clemson basketball team will appear in the NCAA Tournament this coming Friday against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights as a No. 7 seed in the ‘Big Dance.’

When the Tigers suit up and take the floor, it will be for just the 13th time in Clemson basketball program history.

As we continue to prepare for the matchup, here’s a look at the history of the Tigers’ time in March Madness with a timeline of those previous NCAA Tournament appearances.

1980

Clemson basketball makes the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a 6-seed. The Tigers advanced all the way to the Elite 8 before losing to UCLA (8-seed) 85-74.

1987

Clemson was a 4-seed eliminated by 13-seed SW Missouri State in the first round.

1989

As a 9-seed, Clemson beat 8-seeded St. Mary’s in the first round before falling to 1-seeded Arizona in the second round. They were blown out 94-68.

1990

5-seeded Clemson advanced to the Sweet 16 and came up just a point shy in a 71-70 loss to 1-seeded UConn.

1996

9-seeded Clemson eliminated by 8-seeded Georgia in the first round.

1997

As a 4-seed, Clemson advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing a double-overtime game to 1-seeded Minnesota.

1998

6-seeded Clemson eliminated by 11-seeded Western Michigan in the first round.

2008

After a decade-long hiatus from making the tournament, Oliver Purnell got Clemson basketball back to the ‘Big Dance,’ but the 5-seeded Tigers were eliminated by 12-seeded Villanova in the first round.

2009

7-seeded Clemson eliminated by 10-seeded Michigan in the first round.

2010

Third verse, same as the first and second. 7-seeded Clemson eliminated by 10-seeded Missouri in the first round.

2011

Brad Brownell takes over and Clemson wins a game in the ‘play-in’ round over UAB, but the Tigers lose to 5-seeded West Virginia in the Round of 64.

2018

After seven years out of the NCAA Tournament, Clemson basketball finally gets back and makes a run to the Sweet 16 as 5-seed. The Tigers battled 1-seeded Kansas to the wire, but fell 80-76.

And now Clemson basketball has another chance to make history here in 2021

Clemson basketball has made the NCAA Tournament just 13 times in its history, counting this Friday.

In that span, the Tigers have made the Elite 8 once (their first year in the tournament in 1980) and they’ve made the Sweet 16 four times. Clemson has been eliminated in the first round (Round of 64) six times.

There’s nothing stopping this Clemson team from making some noise in the tournament, but we all know they’ve been streaky throughout the season. If they come out playing at their best, they very well could get back to the Sweet 16 and from that point, anything can happen.

If they come out playing as we have seen at times, they could get embarrassed in the first round.

It will be interesting to see just what the outcome of this season looks like when it’s all said and done.