Tonight’s Game Big for both Clemson, FSU

CLEMSON, S.C. — It does not get any bigger for Clemson than it does tonight.

Desperately needing a win in conference play, the Tigers host Florida State at 7 o’clock inside Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson enters the game with four losses in its last five games, including a heartbreaking 71-69 defeat at No. 9 Duke on Jan. 25.

“We were upset. We went in there fully expecting to win,” forward Hunter Tyson said earlier this week. “We played hard and, basically, we should have won the game. But hats off to those guys. They made some really good plays down the stretch and made two tough shots.

“But we were pretty upset.”

But the Tigers (11-9, 3-6 ACC) also realized when they execute the game plan, the way they did against the Blue Devils, they can play with anybody.

“I think we have a good mindset moving forward to finish the season and we are really trying to end on a high note,” Tyson said.

With seven of their final 11 games at Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson is hoping it can get on run that could possibly put them in position to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.

“We are just ready to play again,” Tyson said. “We had a couple of days of arrest… We are ready to get after it and really trying to make a push here at the end.”

However, the Seminoles feel the same way.

FSU (13-7, 6-4 ACC) has lost each of its last two games by double digits, including a 13-point home loss to Virginia Tech over the weekend. The Seminoles have high aspirations as well, and they know they cannot afford a loss to the Tigers.

Betting Lines: Clemson -3.5 according to Fanduel.

SETTING THE SCENE BETWEEN THE TIGERS AND SEMINOLES

Clemson is hoping to win its second straight conference game at home after taking down Pittsburgh at Littlejohn Coliseum on Jan. 22. The Tigers’ 27-point victory, 75-48, was tied for the eighth-largest ACC win in program history, and tied for the fifth-largest in an ACC home contest.

Florida State is looking for its fourth ACC road-win of the season.

CLEMSON BASKETBALL HEADLINES

· Clemson is second in the ACC and is 13th nationally in 3-point shooting: 38.7 percent (169-for-437).

· In his last six games, guard Chase Hunter is 20-for-34 from the floor, 8-for-13 from three and is averaging 8.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per night.

· Forward P.J. Hall has recorded 19 consecutive games in which he has scored at least 10 points.

SERIES HISTORY VS. FLORIDA STATE

· Clemson and Florida State will match up for the 79th time in program history

· Clemson and Florida State have split the last four meetings. The Tigers have won two-out-of-the-last-three in the series

· The Tigers are 22-13 all-time against Florida State in Littlejohn Coliseum

· FSU leads the series 45-34

--Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story

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