Clemson Basketball Ranked in AP Poll For First Time This Season

Clemson basketball is playing its best basketball this season in January, riding a seven-game win streak that put the Tigers in the AP Poll for the first time this year.

The Tigers are ranked No. 22 in the poll, marking the first time since the end of the 2025 season that it has a number next to its name. The program earned the ranking following a four-point win over No. 24 SMU and a double-digit win at Notre Dame on Saturday.

Head coach Brad Brownell’s team has been riding high since the middle of December, winning seven-straight games and beginning the ACC campaign a perfect 4-0. It’s the first time in program history that Clemson has done that in back-to-back seasons.

Clemson has also won 11 away contests in the ACC, being the second-longest streak in the country. Brownell says it comes from the closeness that the Tigers have as a group.

“I think our guys really like each other,” he said after the Notre Dame win. “I think they’re enjoying time together. I think when we’re on the road, we’ve got a good routine that we follow in terms of getting our guys prepared, both mentally and physically.”

21 votes of consideration were given to the team last week, but it wasn’t enough to have a ranking. As conference play begins across the country, many teams dropped out early, giving Clemson a top 25 spot.

The Tigers are also only allowing 65.6 points per game, which is just outside the top 20 in the country in doing so. The team is best in the ACC in scoring defense with that number.

Brownell will have his hands full this week, having another two-game week that concludes with a pivotal opponent. On Tuesday, Clemson will host Boston College, being a reunion with former Clemson assistant, Earl Grant, who is the Eagles’ head coach. Then, the Tigers will host Miami, who had 30 votes of consideration this week after beginning ACC play 3-0.

Clemson will look for another perfect week to climb in the rankings and continue its hard start in ACC play. The Tigers have done a phenomenal job in getting going early to be a high finish in the conference each of the last four seasons.

Tipoff between Clemson and Boston College is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.