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Clemson basketball collapsed after 10-1 ACC start two seasons ago. What’s different this time
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- Clemson basketball collapsed after 10-1 ACC start two seasons ago. What’s different this time
Clemson basketball is in familiar territory.
The No. 25 Tigers (18-4, 10-1 ACC) defeated N.C. State 68-58 on Saturday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina . They extended their win streak to six, became the second ACC team to reach 10 conference wins and Clemson coach Brad Brownell earned career win No. 450.
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Clemson also tied a program record for best start in ACC play, matching the 2022-23 season. Two years ago, it lost five of its last nine regular-season games to finish 14-6 in the conference. It made the ACC tournament but lost in the quarterfinals after having a bye, then shockingly missed the NCAA tournament .
Brownell wants to leave the 2022-23 season in the past.
"This is a different team," Brownell said. "You dig into it, we had some injuries where guys missed games during that stretch. That's part of it. You got to be lucky. … We've been lucky this year that most games we've had full allotment, but this year's team needs to just worry about what's ahead of us, not what happened two years ago."
Clemson received a boost in health Saturday after a week off. It has been plagued with illnesses throughout January with center Viktor Lahkin and guards Chase Hunter and Dillon Hunter missing halves or games because of the flu. Forward Ian Schieffelin has been dealing with back spasms and a calf sprain, too.
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Chase Hunter scored two points in only 10 minutes in Clemson's win vs. Virginia Tech on Jan. 25 . He did not start and missed the first half.
HOW THE GAME WENT: Clemson basketball vs NC State score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch
Chase Hunter returned to the starting lineup Saturday to score 20 points. He picked his spots all over the court to draw fouls and get to the basket and 3-point line.
Lahkin was a stalwart, recording a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double. He was huge in the second half, blocking two shots and scoring in the paint to extend Clemson's lead.
Schieffelin's injury has limited him this season, but his presence, ability to attack the boards and get others involved was critical for Clemson on the road. He finished with eight points, six rebounds and three assists.
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When NC State cut the Tigers ' lead to six with 3:51 left in the game, Dillon Hunter made a 3-pointer to build Clemson's lead and quiet Wolfpack fans. Chase Hunter followed his younger brother's lead, scoring a fast break dunk, then a jumper to put the game out of reach.
"I think that's the biggest advantage that older players bring to a team is when buildings get loud, more guys on your team have probably played well at some point or another in some of these kinds of environments," Brownell said. "They're not as panicky. They show poise, they execute."
Clemson is as healthy as it can be as it enters its final nine games, including a three-game homestand at Littlejohn Coliseum with games against Georgia Tech on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET, ACC Network), No. 2 Duke on Feb. 8 (6 p.m. ET, ESPN) and North Carolina on Feb. 10 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN),
The Tigers must come out of this pivotal stretch with wins not only to improve their NCAA tournament résumé but to avoid the scars of the 2022-23 season, when they lost three straight games after their 10-1 start.
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"We have important games ahead because you played well," Brownell said. "The games ahead give you a chance to do something special."
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Why Clemson basketball believes its ready 'to do something special'
