Why Clemson Should Make This Lineup Change in the ACC Tournament

After dispatching No. 13 seed Wake Forest 71-62 on Wednesday night at Spectrum Center, the Clemson Tigers are faced with a major lineup dilemma.

Starting center Carter Welling went down with a knee injury in the waning minutes of the first half. He did not return, finishing with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 12 minutes played.

Brad Brownell turned to his bench before and after the Welling injury. Freshmen Chase Thompson and Dallas Thomas played 19 and 10 minutes, respectively, among their highest usage of the season.

“I don't have [an update],” Brownell said about Welling’s injury. “Obviously, they’re going to do MRIs and things. I find it unlikely that he can play tomorrow. It’s obviously disappointing, because I thought we were playing really well tonight, and I love to be at full strength, but that's part of it. So, regardless, we’ll figure out a way to combat that.”

After Welling’s departure, the Clemson offense stagnated far too often. After building a comfortable 18-point cushion heading into halftime, Wake Forest chipped away. Though the Deacons never cut the deficit to fewer than nine points, they kept Clemson from pulling away by stringing together stops.

Though the Tigers pulled away late for a comfortable opening victory, the question remained. Who would start if Welling were unable to play in the quarterfinals against North Carolina?

When the senior transfer from Utah Valley appeared on the bench with crutches during the second half, many fans replaced the “if” with “when.”

When examining the matchup with the Tar Heels, size is a chief concern for any team. Though Clemson has bigs RJ Godfrey and Nick Davidson, they are the lone players on the active roster who can play center.

That leaves Brownell with an interesting decision to make, assuming the other four starters remain the same (Jestin Porter, Dillon Hunter, Butta Johnson, and RJ Godfrey). He could turn to Jake Wahlin, a connector-type of wing piece that provides shooting and a 6-foot-10 frame. On the negative side, North Carolina could switch-hunt star big man Henri Veesar onto Wahlin inside, leading to potential defensive problems.

Thompson may be the most intriguing option, given his standout game against Wake Forest. The true freshman turned in the best performance of his career, scoring 9 points in a career-high 19 minutes. His plus/minus of plus-14 was the best of all players in the game. As the season has continued, he’s appeared to have the game slow down on him, making more calculated reads and while still attacking properly.

“He was super aggressive tonight,” RJ Godfrey said about Thompson after the game. “When he saw an opening, he took it. He’s a really good young player with a bright future ahead of him. If he keeps working and believing in himself, he can be a really good player.”

It would be hard to fault Brownell if he turned to Wahlin as Welling’s replacement, given his previous starts this season. However, Thompson still gives Clemson size on the wing, while leaning into his floor-spacing and defensive capabilities. He would be best suited to draw the start for the Tigers against North Carolina on Thursday night.

The Tigers and Tar Heels will clash with a spot in the ACC Tournament semifinals on the line. Tip-off from Charlotte is set for 9:30 p.m., with television coverage airing on ESPN.