The NCAA Tournament is just two weeks away and Clemson basketball will be dancing for a second straight year. This is the first time since 2008-11 that the Tigers have made consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, but after making the Elite Eight a year ago, expectations have been raised.
Clemson made a spectacular run to the regional final a season ago before getting bounced by Alabama in a high-scoring affaid, 89-82.
Since this is the first time that Clemson has made the tournament in consecutive seasons in over a decade, my mind immediately turned to: when was the last time Clemson won an NCAA Tournament game in consecutive seasons?
You're probably all wondering the same thing, but I've got you covered. I had to do some quick research to jog my memory on this one, but it's been a long time, if you can believe that.
In fact, the last time Clemson won at least one NCAA Tournament game in back-to-back seasons was all the way back in 1989-90. That's right, it's been 35 years since the Tigers have won an NCAA Tournament game in consecutive seasons and Brad Brownell and Co. are trying to end that drought this year as they're likely to earn a top-five seed.
It's hard to believe that in each of the NCAA Tournament appearances from 2008 to 2011, the Tigers won just a single NCAA Tournament game and that was in the First Four of the 2011 NCAA Tournament against UAB. They went on to lose to West Virginia in the Round of 64.
So Clemson has a chance to do something for the first time in over three decades this season and that's win a tourney game for the second straight season.