The Clemson Tigers men’s basketball team entered the 2024-25 season with a ton of momentum.
They went on an unexpected run to the Elite Eight in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, setting the stage for this year, however, not a ton was expected from this group since they began the campaign unranked.
Coming into the season, some analysts viewed Clemson as a bubble team.
Was their performance last March a fluke, or something that Brad Brownell and his crew would be able to build upon and become perennial contenders in the ACC?
Through 10 games, the Tigers are certainly proving their tournament run was no fluke.
They have handled business well over the first month of the season. Their only loss to this point is a true road game against the Boise State Broncos, 84-71.
A championship was won at the Sunshine Slam tournament, where they defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions and San Francisco Dons.
The most memorable win was in the SEC/ACC Challenge when they hosted the Kentucky Wildcats at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Clemson took down the No. 4 team in the country, 70-66, securing a season-defining victory.
While there is still plenty of work to do this year, a win of that caliber is exactly what a projected bubble team needs. It will help solidify their case should they not work their way into the field the remainder of the season.
Winning a game like that is always nice, but it is important to see how the team will fare after.
Will there be a hangover, leading to a disappointing follow up?
That wasn’t the case for the Tigers, who went on the road to start ACC play and defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 65-55.
9-1 on the year, they are continuing to surge up the college basketball power rankings shared by Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
“Clemson gets another test this weekend against Memphis, but it also gives us a chance to see the Tigers’ elite defense against a talented offensive unit. Clemson has held nine of its 10 opponents to fewer than one point per possession this season, with Boise State the only team to surpass that mark (and the only team to beat Clemson so far). The Tigers limit fast-break points and second-chance points, forcing teams to make plays in the half-court. Memphis has the guards to do just that, which makes Saturday intriguing.”
Following the matchup against the Memphis Tigers, Clemson heads back on the road for their rivalry game against the South Carolina Gamecocks just three days later.
After that, ACC play gets underway fully.
The Tigers will be challenged over the next few months, as their strength of schedule is one of the toughest amongst other teams who were thought to be on the bubble.
That will give them ample opportunities to strengthen their resume for when Selection Sunday rolls around.
