One Quick Thing: This Clemson Men’s Basketball team is different

Clemson Men’s Basketball was victorious over the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday 51-50. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a win.

It was also the kind of game that men’s teams of past years would not have won.

I spoke on Clemson’s history of starting fast every so often only to collapse as the season progressed. Sometimes that collapse was from an easy non-conference schedule that made the Tigers look better than they were. Sometimes the weight of expectations would be too much for a team that just wasn’t ready for prime time.

I’m not sure if it is the veteran leadership from players like Tyson Hunter and PJ Hall, the youthful energy of Ian Schieffelin and Ben Middlebrooks, or the tenacity of a newcomer like Brevin Galloway. What I am sure of is that Clemson teams of the past would have likely fallen off a cliff if one of the team leaders in points and assists went on the injured list.

This team didn’t fall off that cliff. They gutted out a win behind Tyson, who made the game-winning three-pointer on a night when most of Clemson’s three-pointers weren’t finding the net.

The Tigers aren’t out of the woods yet. While some of the talk around the team earlier in the week seemed optimistic that Chase Hunter could return soon, the talk over the weekend made it sound like it might be another week or two until he is ready.

This Clemson Men’s Basketball team isn’t like previous squads

This is still a vulnerable time, but it doesn’t seem hopeless the way a lot of vulnerable times have seemed over the last three or four seasons. In addition to the players on the floor that we mentioned, this team has two more things.

First, there is a good amount of luck surrounding this team right now.

Second, they have Brad Brownell, a coach who wouldn’t even be here right now if I were in charge over the years. I’ve fired him at least four times. Many fans wouldn’t credit Brownell for anything purely out of spite, but he has a steadying hand that is working for this squad.

I still think the chances that this team finishes the season on top of the ACC standings are slim, but I am becoming more confident that when they get Hunter and Alex Heminway back they will be able play with any team in the conference.