A team a half-game out of first in the ACC against a team tied for 10th. #13 Virginia is hosting Clemson Tuesday night, but it’s not what you think.
Clemson is an improbable 5-1 in the ACC after posting back-to-back-to-back wins over ranked teams for the first time in school history.
The recent run by the Tigers is all the more improbable given their middling 7-5 start in November and December that included a 17-point loss to UMass and a 23-point loss to Georgia.
A loss to #2 North Carolina in their ACC opener dropped them to 7-6, and they haven’t lost since, running off five in a row in conference, aided by a run of home games, but the Tigers do own a road win, an overtime decision at Syracuse.
Virginia (13-4, 2-3 ACC) hasn’t won on the road in the conference, dropping games at Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Florida State.
This after a 12-1 start that included wins over two teams ranked in the Top 6 of the national polls (#3 Villanova and #6 West Virginia).
Inside Clemson
- Jaron Blossomgame is the reigning ACC player of the week. The 6’7” junior averages 16.1 points per game on 51.0 percent shooting from the field and 39.5 percent shooting from three-point range and also pulls down 7.0 rebounds per game.
- Donte Grantham, a 6’8’ forward, averages 10.4 points per game, shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three.
- Avry Holmes, a 6’7” forward, averages 10.1 points per game, shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three.
- As a team, Clemson shoots 43.7 percent from the floor, 36.2 percent from three, and averages 21.6 three-point attempts per game. The Tigers score 1.104 points per possession, 45th nationally, according to KenPom.com.
- Defensively, Clemson opponents shoot 40.8 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from three. The Tigers allow .997 points per possession, 88th in the nation.
- Clemson averages 63.7 possessions per game, 344th in D1.
Inside Virginia
- Malcolm Brogdon is just 6-for-26 (23.1 percent) from three-point range in ACC play. For the season, the senior guard is averaging a team-best 16.6 points per game on 42.4 percent shooting from the field and 36.0 percent shooting from three.
- Anthony Gill averages 14.9 points per game and a team-best 6.1 rebounds per gme on 60.9 percent shooting from the field, second-best in the ACC.
- London Perrantes is shooting 56.5 percent from three-point range, tops in the ACC. The junior point guard is averaging 12.1 points per game and 4.2 assists per game.
- As a team, Virginia is shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from three and 14.6 three-point attempts per game. The Cavs score 1.188 points per possession, seventh-best in the nation.
- Defensively, these aren’t your daddy’s Cavaliers. Virginia opponents are shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range and scoring .953 points per possession, 36th nationally.
- Virginia averages 61.7 possessions per game, 350th among the 351 teams in D1.
– Game Preview by Chris Graham
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