ACC Tournament Semifinal: Clemson Basketball vs Virginia Preview

A dominant second half over the Wolfpack of NC State propelled Clemson into the Atlantic Coast Conference Semifinals. That victory sets the Tigers up for another late-night matchup in Greensboro against the Virginia Cavaliers.

Virginia comes into Friday's game ranked 13th in the nation and just eliminated, maybe for good, the preseason #1 and defending national runners-up North Carolina Tarheels. They are also tied with the Miami Hurricanes for the best record in the ACC this season posting 15 wins against only 5 losses.

Clemson lost their lone regular season matchup with the Cavaliers which was played just over two weeks ago, on February 28th. It was a classic Virginia-style victory in which the game was never truly a blowout but also never got closer than a 5-point margin late in the second half. Tony Bennett's renowned defense was smothering once again as Clemson was held to just 23 first-half points and couldn't ever seem to find their rhythm after that.

While playing in Greensboro instead of Charlottesville should help from a crowd standpoint, this rematch carries as much weight as Clemson players have had to shoulder in recent memory. The program has never won the ACC Tournament in its long history, but what is March for if not to make a little history? Many pundits think Clemson is already in the tournament with their resume as it stands now, but Coach Brad Brownell and his players would surely like to leave no doubt come Selection Sunday, and a win tonight would make the Tigers a sure lock to be invited to the big dance.

How to Watch the ACC Basketball Tournament

Gameday: Friday, March 10th, 2023
Game time: 9:30 pm ET
TV: ESPN2
Location: Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, South Carolina
Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
Stream on ESPN - HERE

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