ACC Tournament Quarterfinal: Clemson Basketball vs. N.C. State Preview

How hard is it to beat a good team three times in the same season? Clemson's men's basketball team is about to find out just that this evening. Starting at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN (time may vary depending on the ending of the North Carolina vs. Virginia game beforehand) the Tigers will take on N.C. State in the final quarterfinals matchup of what's sure to be an exciting day of ACC basketball.

Clemson comes in with an overall record of 22-9, and 14-6 in ACC play, which garnered them the #4 seed in this year's tournament. However, N.C. State isn't far behind, actually having one more total win than the Tigers in their overall record at 23-9, but 2 games behind Clemson in their conference record at a respectable 12-8.

Both teams come into this matchup having won 3 of their last 5 games, with a game against each other coming in the middle of that stretch. Clemson won in a blowout, 96-71. The game was well in hand by halftime and Brevin Galloway had far and away his best performance of the season, with 28 points to lead the Tigers' efforts.

The first game between these two squads may have been slightly closer in terms of the scoreboard, but the result was still a double-digit victory, with Clemson winning 78-64. Clemson's leading scorer, Hunter Tyson, lead the way in that game with 31 points which was also his high for the season. The Clemson players would certainly love to continue that trend of record performances in tonight's matchup.

Despite the relatively easy victories, Clemson and coach Brad Brownell certainly know they can't count any opponent out, especially in March. This season has already been the most successful regular season in recent Clemson basketball history, but now the question becomes can it translate to the part of the year where it matters most? Belief is a powerful thing for teams that haven't experienced much past postseason success. Winning tonight against a team they've been stronger than this season, and proving they belong in the top 4 of the ACC, will show a lot not just to the Tiger faithful watching, but could provide the momentum the players themselves need to make a run deep into this month.

How to Watch the SEC Basketball Tournament

Gameday: Thursday, March 9th, 2023
Game time: 9:30 pm ET
TV: ACC Network
Location: Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, South Carolina
Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
Stream on ESPN - HERE