The “eye test” for Clemson basketball might have been tested this week, but the computers are not prepared to leap yet. Though they suffered the first consecutive losses of the season, the primary figures for the Clemson Tigers (20-6, 10-3 ACC) have only slightly dipped. In the most recent NET standings published Tuesday morning, Clemson dropped one spot to No. 31, remaining ahead of SEC power Auburn and just behind Big East contender Villanova.
The resiliency in the rankings is due to Clemson’s 15th-ranked defense and a resume without any "bad" losses. The resume 14-4 is highlighted by road wins at Stanford and California Quad 26- 2. A loss to Virginia Tech qualifies as a Q2 setback.
While these losses to Virginia Tech (Q2) and Duke (Q1) hurt the conference standings, they didn’t fundamentally “break” the Tigers’ tournament profile. Yet the margin of error has shrunk dramatically for the Tigers to stay in the top half of the bracket.
The KenPom ratings weren’t so forgiving, and slipped Clemson six places to No. 34 overall. The difference between the Tigers’ elite defense (No. 15 nationally) and its struggling offense (No. 73) has become analysts’ chief concern.
When it comes to Big Dance, the “safe” No. 6 seed projection this month has disappeared. Most of the major bracketologists, such as CBS Sports, have Clemson now with a No. 8 seed, possibly preparing a “win-and-face-a-No. 1-seed" nightmare scenario in the Round of 32. Next Opportunity: The Tigers will have the immediate opportunity to restore their résumé by Wednesday night.
As Wake Forest (No. 65 NET) are in the top 75, a road game to that team is a Quadrant 1 opportunity. The mission is simple; break the two-game losing streak and earn a 5th Quad 1 victory.