Clemson Men’s Basketball: Tigers take on Towson in battle of Tigers

Clemson Men’s Basketball is off to a 7-2 start on the season, is shooting the ball well and has some winnable games coming up on the schedule.

The Tigers are coming off a 77-57 throttling of Wake Forest despite trailing at the half, by a score of 33-26.  Yes, a Clemson basketball team scored 51 points in a half against an ACC team.

What’s the difference?  Obviously, P.J. Hall is an enforcer on the inside who can hit an occasional three, but this Tiger team has shot lights out in their first 9 games.  How well?  Their 55.3% effective field goal percentage is good for 34th best in the nation and their 39.8% from three puts them just outside of the top 20 in the nation (21st).

Towson, of the Colonial Athletic Association, is 8-1, but hasn’t played the stiffest competition to date with their highest-ranked victory coming over No. 131 Massachusetts and an ugly loss to No. 229 Fairfield.

That doesn’t mean the Tigers from Maryland aren’t dangerous and their 4-0 road record indicates they’re not scared to travel.

Clemson Men’s Basketball will have to control the Towson guards

Towson is not a tall team and is led by guards Cam Holden (15.8 ppg) and Nicholas Timberlake (15.3 ppg), with 6’7 forward Charles Thompson being the third and final double-digit scorer (12.8 ppg) for the Tigers.

Thompson leads the team in rebounds at 7.7 per contest.

Here are our analysts’ takes on whether the Clemson Tigers will win and/or cover.

Spread & Total: Clemson -7.5 Total 131.5

John Chancey (7-2, 3-6 ATS):

Towson is 8-1 and at a glance appear to be a team that will be very competitive in the Colonial. Their schedule to date hasn’t featured any major programs. KenPom has Towson at 101, which isn’t bad for a mid-major program. Clemson will have a size advantage. Towson is a guard-oriented team. Clemson will need Hall, Middlebrooks and Schieffelin to feast.

Clemson 77, Towson 65

Marty Coleman (8-1, 4-5 ATS):  

If the Tigers hope to make the NCAA Tournament this is a game they can’t afford to lose and they shouldn’t take Towson lightly.  Towson can make shots and I’m intrigued to see how Clemson handles the Towson guards.  That said, Clemson has a height advantage, which generally leads to more free throws and if the Tigers shoot as well as they have been Clemson should move to 8-2 on the season.

Clemson 73 Towson 65

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change