Not bad for an exhibition contest. The Clemson Tigers were able to outlast the regional rival Georgia Bulldogs 82-80 in their friendly tipoff before the regular season gets here. Clemson was buoyed by one of its many frontcourt transfers: Dylan Faulkner. The Calhoun native and Samford transfer had a game-high 21 points and seven rebounds, including the game-winner to excite the Clemson crowd.
There were questions about if his game would translate to the Power Four level. While Georgia is only picked to finish in 11th place in the SEC, the Bulldogs have been a staple in March Madness recently. Clearly, Faulkner showed with his all-around game that Brad Brownell can rely upon him. He shot 5-of-7 from the field and 11-of-13 from the charity stripe, with five assists, two blocks, and a steal as well.
While Faulkner stood out in the exhibition game, it was not a banner day for the Clemson backcourt. Ace Buckner only had three points on 1-of-6 shooting. Notre Dame transfer Cole Certa only shot 3-of-10 from the floor. Unfortunately, true freshman Harris Reynolds struggled all night with Georgia's full-court press. He had five points on 0-of-6 shooting, with all five of them coming on free throws.
There is plenty for Brownell to work on leading up to Wednesday's next exhibition with Presbyterian.
Clemson defeats Georgia 82-80 on a buzzer beater in their exhibition game 🔥
— CBB Kings (@CBBKings) October 24, 2026
Samford transfer Dylan Faulkner led the Tigers in scoring with 21 points and hit the game-winner. pic.twitter.com/mBgLgyJCuP
Brad Brownell knows how he has to win games early on with Clemson
Going up against a worthy adversary in Georgia, Brownell has already learned two things about his team. His team is going to have to win in the paint and at the charity stripe offensively. He also has to realize that if Georgia can make it hard for Clemson to bring the ball up the floor, what happens when the Tigers take on the upper echelon of teams in the ACC? He needs to find a way to fix this problem.
While Presbyterian will be a downgrade in competition from Georgia, we can only hope that Brownell can find ways to instill confidence in his reshaped Clemson roster. Zac Foster is not returning this season, as he works his way back from another torn ACL. Carter Welling should return in time for ACC play, but he only tore his ACL in March. As for Dillon Hunter, he is running out of time to still be eligible.
Again, this is why coaching matters. Brownell has long been one of the most underrated head coaches in the ACC. He has taken a perennial doormat and transformed Clemson into a regular tournament team. Yes, he has been in this job for the better part of two decades now. However, this is the fall where he needs to earn his stripes. He must help Clemson get out of his bind in the backcourt.
Ultimately, the solutions to Clemson's problems are starting to present themselves in real time here. Faulkner can be a reliable presence down low. Certa loves to shoot the ball, so it is only a matter of time before his shots go through the cylinder. While Buckner may be asked to do more than he can handle, look for Reynolds to grow with every opportunity he gets. The Tigers need to come together.
Clemson is far from a finished product, but their pathway to being successful is right in front of them.
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