Hoops Preview: Clemson hosts Boston College

When: Saturday 12pm
Where: Littlejohn Coliseum
TV: Raycom/ACCN

The one real bright side of this upcoming game is the Tigers are scheduled to break out the awesome 90’s throwback uniforms. Playing the KenPom 112th ranked Boston College Eagles is another potential bright side after three straight losses have the Tigers hanging on the edge of the (thankfully soft) bubble for the NCAA tournament. Clemson has to find a way to 9 wins in the ACC prior to the league tournament to feel decent about getting into the big dance.

The losses to Louisville and FSU were huge missed opportunities for the team to notch another signature win and offset the bad loss at Miami. Clemson can’t lose to BC at home and still have any real shot at making the tournament. They have no one to blame but themselves for being in this position thanks to some terrible late game execution and free throw shooting.

Coach Brownell has finally started verbalizing what we have already known following this team: the bench isn’t good and his freshmen aren’t ready. I’ve already detailed the recruiting woes under the Brownell regime, so I won’t belabor that point, but the starting 5 plus Clyde Trapp are really going to have to carry the load going forward. The Eagles have taken a little step back this year after having a more dangerous squad last year because of the early departure of Jerome Robinson. They still have Ky Bowman, a very good player, and enough talent to win this game should the Tigers slog around on offense the way they have in recent games with Miami and FSU.

Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

BC, statistically, is one of the worst defensive teams in the ACC. It is a good team for the Tigers to face as they try to find some kind of positive momentum for the final stretch of the regular season. The Eagles are not a great three-point shooting team, ranking just 230th in 3pt%, which is another welcome sign for the Tigers who have been poor at defending the line. BC has won two of their last three, including beating that Miami team who beat Clemson. They just had an OT loss at NC State and are just behind Clemson in the ACC standings.

There isn’t much else to say to those still hanging on with this squad. This outgoing group of four seniors has that slim hope of making the NCAA still to play for. This is a pride check.

KenPom likes Clemson 73-62 and gives the Tigers a generous 84% win probability. 73 points is an ambitious prediction considering Clemson hasn’t cracked 70 since the win vs. Pittsburgh. I’ll say Clemson finds a way 63-58.