Clemson HC Brad Brownell Adamant Starting Guards Will Bounce Back Following Duke Loss

DURHAM, N.C. — Holding the Duke Blue Devils to under 70 points has only happened four times this season before Saturday. That’s generally a winning formula for opposing teams to keep games close.

For the Clemson Tigers, their response was their lowest point total since the 2020-21 season, when they played Duke inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. Clemson’s 54 points led to the biggest loss of the 2025-26 campaign, losing back-to-back losses this week.

After the game, head coach Brad Brownell was talking about how slim margins could get against teams like this, especially with the scoring he sees.

“They’re hard to score against,” Brownell said after the game, “and, you know, we’re not as dynamic offensive as some other teams I had.”

The lack of scoring can have fans pointing the finger plenty of different ways, but in the loss, the backcourt will get the biggest blame. Duke’s perimeter defense limited Clemson’s guards to score a total of 19 points.

That began with starters Dillon Hunter and Jestin Porter, who finished with a combined eight points in the loss. The duo took 12 shots and only made three, and that’s something Brownell wants to see change as the games become more important with each day.

“He’s got to make some shots too,” Brownell said. “I mean he hasn’t played as well as he can play. . .good to see him make that three.”

In the loss to Virginia Tech as well, the guards failed to show up in the big moment. The duo combined for six points in a combined 62 minutes in the loss on Wednesday night. Brownell said that the shooting struggles have been since the team’s West Coast trip, and that will look to change down the stretch.

However, he’s optimistic about what’s to come to get out of the slump.

“Those guys, they’ll make some,” Brownell said. They’re better shooters then they’ve had here this past week or two. I don’t know if we’re a little fatigued or not. I’ve got to do a few things to help htem better, but they’ll be fine.”

That was a key to Saturday’s game initially: bringing in some backcourt production to the team. It’s been mainly through the frontcourt that Clemson’s found its success. However, if the starting guards are able to pour in some more production going forward, that will help the Tigers’ floor.

With the backcourt almost nonexistent, the Tigers only lost by 13 points. That could’ve been a lot worse, but Clemson’s defense is able to hold even the most elite teams to subpar scoring days.

The Tigers don’t have players like Chase Hunter or Joseph Girard III winning them games like years past. However, they have a complete team, and Brownell says that team efforts will consistently have them winning games.

That will be the focus going into Wednesday night’s game against Wake Forest.

“This group, it takes a lot for us,” he said. “We’re not as gifted, I don’t think, as some of the teams top of the lead, and so we have to really play at a high level. We have to work, we have to minimize our mistakes, just our margins are small, but we’ve had a lot of success.”

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