Clemson continues to prevail, and for the time being, that’s seen enough in keeping the Tigers steady in the NCAA Tournament picture.
According to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s new piece, Clemson remains projected as a No. 6 seed heading into a tough West Coast swing that could either bolster its resume — or wreck it.
Brad Brownell's team has been 18-4 and 8-1 in ACC play — with a backloaded conference schedule that has not served up a multitude of potential heavyweights yet. Yet Clemson has done what it was supposed to do, very often to some degree. Save for an overtime loss to NC State, the Tigers have beaten every team they were selected to defeat.
Most recently, Clemson secured a win, 63-52, against Pittsburgh at Littlejohn Coliseum. Nick Davidson and Carter Welling led the way with 12 points apiece, while RJ Godfrey added 10. The Tigers set the tone defensively, keeping Pitt’s offense to only 21 percent shooting in the first half and never allowing the game to really go away in the second. (That defensive identity remains the bedrock of Clemson’s reputation.)
The Tigers are ranked No. 19 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, and No. 20 in the AP Top 25, with a NET ranking of 31. Clemson has two Quad 1 wins (Georgia and Syracuse), is 6-1 in Quad 2 and a perfect 10-0 against Quad 3 and 4 opponents — solid, if not flashy. It bears some backing from advanced metrics.
Clemson is No. 32 in KenPom, which has the 15th ranked defense nationwide and a net efficiency margin north of +20. Yet the real résumé stress test remains just a shade away. Lunardi’s projection, however, puts Clemson opening the NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Florida, against the winner of a First Four matchup between San Diego State and USC.
A win there probably translates into a round 2 date with No. 3 seed Florida, assuming chalk holds court. Clemson’s seed hasn't budged yet. It also hasn’t climbed up. Which is why this week’s trip west is so important. The Tigers will face Stanford and California before heading east for an increasingly brutal arc that includes Virginia Tech, Duke at Cameron Indoor, Wake Forest, Louisville and North Carolina.