Clemson basketball: Start Time, Odds, Prediction vs. Rutgers

All the information you need for the Clemson basketball NCAA Tournament opener

The Clemson basketball team will open up NCAA Tournament play this Friday evening with a matchup against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Clemson comes into the game as a 7-seed while Rutgers is a 10-seed in the Midwest Region. Though the Tigers are the higher seed, Clemson basketball is currently considered a 1.5-point underdog against the Scarlet Knights.

Here’s all the information you need to know to watch, listen or live stream the game.

Tipoff Time: 9:20 p.m. E.T.

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)

TV Channel: TBS

Radio Station: Clemson Tigers Sports Network

If you’re looking to stream the game, you can do so on several different platforms including fuboTV, Hulu Live and Paramount Plus.

Prediction: What to expect from Clemson basketball in the matchup with Rutgers

When the Tigers take the floor, they’re going to be heavily doubted.

We’ve seen countless analysts pick Rutgers as an upset pick over the Tigers. As a matter of fact, it seems less popular to take chalk here with Clemson than it does to pick the upset.

The truth of the matter is simple: This game comes down to which Clemson basketball team takes the floor.

Is it the Tiger team we saw in December and for most of the month of February? Or is it the Tiger team that struggled for the entire month of January? Is it the same Clemson team we saw just last week against Miami? If it is, they’re in for a lot of hurt.

Still, something in my gut tells me we’ll see an extremely focused team with a chip on their shoulder.

They’ve shown the ability to play at a high level and something tells me we’re going to see the team of February and December more so than January and last week.

I could be wrong, but I’m going to cautiously take the Tigers to pick up a victory and move onto the second-round. They’re the more talented team from top-to-bottom, but it won’t be easy.

Prediction: Clemson 65, Rutgers 61