Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Clemson
(Photo of Clyde Trapp, David Johnson: Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports)
CLEMSON, S.C. - Instead of having a whole week off following their win vs. Duke, schedule changes made by the ACC now have Louisville gearing up for a midweek game. Next up for the Cardinals (10-3, 5-2 ACC), instead of hosting Boston College this weekend, they will hit the road and face Clemson. Tipoff is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 9:00 p.m. EST on Fox Sports South.
Here are a couple of the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Cardinals' matchup with the Tigers:
A Screeching Halt
In the preseason, not many thought very highly of the Tigers, as they were voted to finish tenth out the Atlantic Coast Conference's fifteen teams. Little did we know that the Clemson was about to start the 2020-21 season red hot.
In their first ten games, Clemson loss just once, coming on the road to a good Virginia Tech squad. Their other nine games include NCAA Tournament resume-boosting wins over Purdue, Alabama and Florida State. At one point, you could have made the case that the Tigers were arguably the best team in the ACC.
Then, all of a sudden, Clemson's momentum came to a dead stop. The Tigers have now lost their last three games, all of which came in blowout fashion.
Clemson's losing streak started with an 85-50 shellacking at home to the hands of Virginia, then was followed up with an 83-65 loss at Georgia Tech and an 80-61 defeat at Florida State. To put it further into perspective, the Tigers have lost by an average margin of 24 points during this stretch.
Tenacious D
The Tigers' defense is unquestionably what powers this team. Before they were picked apart by Virginia to start their three-game skid, Clemson actually had the No. 1 defense according to KenPom, and the fifth-best scoring defense in Division I (57.6 ppg).
Understandably, Clemson's defensive metrics have taken a bit of a tumble of the course of their losing streak, but they are still way above average. The Tigers currently boast the No. 24 defense in D1 according to KenPom, and have second-best scoring defense at 63.4 points per game, behind only Virginia.
Much of their success on the defensive end is predicated on making teams uncomfortable for all 94 feet of the court, and forcing you to make mistakes. The Tigers excel at executing their man-to-man full court defense, which in turn forces opponents to turn the ball over on 24.2% of their possession - the fourteenth-best mark in college basketball. It also helps that Clemson doesn't foul at an exceptionally high level despite their play style - just 16.5 per game (7th in ACC, 92nd in D1).
Simms City
While senior forward Aamir Sims is experiencing a bit of a dip in production for his final year, going from 13.0 points per game to 11.7, 7.2 rebounds to 5.6, and 40.0% on three-point attempts to 28.0%, the preseason First Team All-ACC selection is still a viable threat for the Tigers.
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound power forward is shooting a career-best 54.8% from the floor and 84.9% from the free throw line. But his most impactful presence on the court is probably on the offensive glass, as he averages 2.54 offensive rebounds per game, which comes in at ninth in the ACC and 110th in D1.
Swipe & Shoot
As odd as it sounds, Clemson's second-best player this season isn't even a regular starter. Sophomore guard Nick Honor has only started twice out of the Tigers' 13 games, but he puts in meaningful minutes and effort off the bench.
Honor averages 9.9 points per game, which is second on the team to Simms, most of which is due to his sharpshooting ability. He not only leads the Tigers in made threes with 26, but also in three-point shooting percentage at 42.6%. Perhaps more impressively, he averages 1.54 steals per game and has a steal rate of 3.9% - the 69th best mark in D1.
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on Twitter:
Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter - @LouisvilleOnSI and Matthew McGavic at @GeneralWasp
