The Clemson Tigers did exactly what they needed to do on Saturday. Brad Brownell’s team reached deep for an 80-75 upset against the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals after a four-game skid that left it vulnerable to a postseason seed that was on a descent. It was a traditional “Statement Saturday” in Littlejohn Coliseum, but when Monday’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll was announced, the Tigers found themselves on the outside looking in again.
The "Jestin Porter" Show
It was transfer guard Jestin Porter whose weekend's story had happened. In the second half, after a quiet first half, Porter exploded for 16 points to essentially push the Tigers into a double-digit lead that could have gone as high as 15 points.
As Louisville mounted a frenzied late-game rally powered by a wave of triples, Clemson’s defense held its ground when it mattered most. At the right moment and across the ball, the Tigers' "Lockdown" became the "Lockdown" in action, as they crushed Louisville's star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. to just 5 points in the afternoon.
By the Numbers: Receiving Votes
Even with the Quadrant 1 victory of the season (which was their 21st win), Clemson currently places themselves in the “Others Receiving Votes” spot.
Current Status: Unranked
Votes Received: 8 (the seventh-most received for any of the unranked teams)
ACC context: The conference currently has four ranked teams: Duke (No. 1), Virginia (No. 13), North Carolina (No. 18) and Miami (No. 23).
The Week Ahead: Blue-Blood Battle
If anything, Clemson's road doesn't get any easier. Clemson gets ready to head out to Chapel Hill Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. ET against No. 18 North Carolina.
For the Tigers, it's more than just a match of rivalry; it is their final chance to show off against the pollsters—and the NCAA Selection Committee—that their slide into February is an old historical story. A victory in the Dean Smith Center would almost certainly send the Tigers back into the Top 25 and potentially get them entering a "double-bye" conversation for the ACC Tournament.
The Tigers can finish the regular season at home this Saturday against Georgia Tech. If Porter and their defense can match their Louisville performance, Clemson just might be heading into March as one of the most dangerous unranked teams in the country.