Clemson Tigers Face Defensive Juggernaut West Virginia in Charleston Classic

The Clemson Tigers draw a West Virginia squad with a stingy defense on Friday.

West Virginia won the last meeting with Clemson in 2021. | David Yeazell-Imagn Images

Brad Brownell’s Clemson Tigers are primed for their toughest test of the still-young season on Friday afternoon.

The new-look squad travels to Charleston, South Carolina, to participate in the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic at TD Arena. Clemson will take part in the event’s Palmetto Bracket, which also features Georgia, West Virginia, and Xavier.

Before the Tigers kick off the event with a 6:30 p.m. contest against the Mountaineers, let’s take a look at what WVU brings to the semifinal matchup.

One of the Nation’s Top Defenses

Though Russ Hodge’s team has played just five games, the results on the defensive end of the floor have been impressive to say the least.

The Mountaineers have held four of their five opponents this season to fewer than 60 points, including a 71-49 drubbing of the heating rival Pittsburgh Panthers on November 13. In a one-sided matchup at WVU’s Hope Coliseum, Pittsburgh shot a woeful 37.7% from the field, including 5-for-20 (25%) from behind the three-point arc.

Quick facts:

• Entering play on Friday, West Virginia has allowed the fourth-fewest points per game in all of college basketball at 54.8.
• Each of WVU’s five opponents has had more turnovers than assists against the Mountaineers.
• Hodge has held opponents under 70 points in 28 straight games, dating back to his time at North Texas in 2024-25.

Clemson Must Earn Their Points

WVU has fouled less than their opponent in all five games so far this season, including fouling a mere 11 times in the aforementioned romp over Pittsburgh. How have they done it? One of the taller front lines in the nation has certainly helped.

Despite somewhat average size at the point guard and shooting guard positions, the Mountaineers feature 6-foot-6 guard Treysen Eaglestaff (a North Dakota transfer), 6-foot-9 forward Brenen Lorient (a North Texas transfer), and 7-foot center Harlan Obioha (a UNC-Wilmington transfer).

In Clemson’s four wins so far this season, they’ve possessed a clear size advantage inside. That won’t be the case when they take on West Virginia. It should be interesting to see how Brownell combats that natural disadvantage.

Veteran Leadership

When Hodge was hired to lead West Virginia basketball, he immediately hit the transfer portal hard and found proven winners with experience.

Five transfers were added to the Mountaineers’ roster, including guard Honor Huff. The senior guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., brings one of the nation’s best three-point strokes, along with a 2024 NIT championship. Obioha’s UNC-Wilmington Seahawks took national power Texas Tech to the wire in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round.

After losing head coach Darian DeVries to Indiana after just one season, West Virginia aimed to reload around Hodge. They’ve done just that.

West Virginia Mountaineers (5-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Head coach: Ross Hodge (1st season here, 3rd overall in Division I, 5-0 at WVU, 46-24 at North Texas)

• 2025 NIT Semifinalist
• 2024 NIT NIT Second Round Appearance

Advanced rankings*:

• 61 in KenPom (Clemson is 26)
• 30 in BPI (Clemson is 22)

* - out of all 365 Division I teams

Record by quadrant:

• Quadrant 1: 0-0
• Quadrant 2: 1-0
• Quadrant 3: 0-0
• Quadrant 4: 4-0

Notable wins: vs. Pittsburgh (71-49)

Notable losses: none

Stat Leaders:

• Leading scorer: G Honor Huff, 17.2 points
• Leading rebounder: F Brenen Lorient, 7.4 rebounds
• Assist leader: Jasper Floyd, 5.0 assists

Series history:

• West Virginia leads series, 5-1, after a 66-59 win over Clemson in 2021. The Mountaineers downed the Tigers in the Charleston Classic's Third Place Game.