West Virgnia vs. Clemson Preview & Game Thread

The West Virginia Mountaineers (5–0) face Clemson Tigers (4–1) in the opening round of the Charleston Classic Friday evening at TD Arena. Tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. EST and the action will broadcast on ESPNU.

Clemson’s lone loss came on the road at Georgetown last week, 79-74 before bouncing back Monday night with a 20-point win over Northern Iowa.

Clemson returned three players from last season – point guard Dillon Hunter, senior forward RJ Godfrey, and redshirt freshman Ace Buckner.

Hunter has taken over as the starting point guard. He entered the season with 99 appearances, including nine starts. The senior is averaging career-highs in points (6.6) and assists (2.4).

Godfrey spent his first two seasons at Clemson, transferred to Georgia for one year, and returned to the Tigers this season. He’s averaging career highs to start his senior campaign with 10.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. After starting the first four games of the season, he came off the bench in the last outing and scored a season-high 16 points.

Buckner started the season averaging 13.7 ppg through the first three games but had combined for 14 points over the last two contests.

Utah Valley transfer Carter Welling is averaging team-bests 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The senior forward has recorded a double-double this season and has scored in double figures in all but one game - an 11-minute outing against Morehead State.

West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge in his first year in Morgantown and his nearly entire new roster has navigated his system in comfy confines of Hope Coliseum, marking the matchup with Clemson the first contest away from home.

West Virginia received a test early against ACC opponent Pitt in the Backyard Brawl and past with flying colors with a resounding 71-49 victory, then followed with an 81-59 win over Lafayette on Monday.

Tennessee at Chattanooga transfer Honor Huff leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.2 points per game with 19 made threes on the season. The senior led the nation in made threes a season ago with 131. He went 8-9 from behind the arc against Lafayette with a season-high 24 points.

Forward Brenen Lorient followed Hodge from North Texas to WVU for his senior season. He went for a career-high 26 points in the win against Lehigh but has combined for 15 points and eight rebounds in the last two games. He’s currently second on the team in scoring at 12.8 ppg.

Freshman forward DJ Thomas is coming off a career-best 25 points against Lafayette, upping his season average to 11 points per game and senior center Harlan Obioha rounds out the four Mountaineers averaging double figures. The UNC Wilmington transfer is averaging 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

West Virginia is 5–1 all-time against Clemson.

Game Thread

U16 Timeout: WVU grabbed an early 5-2 lead, but a 7-0 run has the Tigers up four, 9-5.

U12 Timeout: Clemson guard Jestin Porter buried a three to stretch the Tiger lead to six, 15-9.

U8 Timeout: West Virginia regained the lead after an 8-0 run. Propelled by threes from guards Treysen Eaglestaff and Jasper Floyd for a 17-15 lead.

U4 Timeout: WVU forward Chance Moore has been a spark off the bench and has four quick points to maintain a Mountaineer edge 25-23.

HALTIME: WVU leads 32-25. Honor Huff, Jasper Floyd, and Chance Moore leads the Mountaineers in scoring with seven points apiece. Clemson senior forward RJ Godfrey leads all scorers with eight points.

U16 Timeout: Clemson has come out with some urgency and has dwindled the WVU lead as a three from Huff holds the Mountaineers advantage by two, 37-35.

U12 Timeout: A tough jumper from WVU freshman guard Amir Jenkins, followed by a three from junior guard Morris Ugusuk and a lay-in from Moore gives the Mountaineers a 7-0 run and a nine-point advantage, 47-38.

U8 Timeout: West Virginia extended the run and built an 11-point lead, but Clemson continues to battle and has cut the WVU lead to eight, 56-48.

U4 Timeout: Clemson continues to dwindle the WVU lead. Huff hit a circus shot to keep the Tigers at bay, but Tigers have a chance to get within a possession after the timeout. Huff leads all scores with 17 points.

Injury Timeout 1:39: Consecutive threes from Carter Welling has Clemson up one, 64-63.

WVU Timeout 1:10: Welling drives the lane and caps his own 8-0 run and the Tigers hold a 66-63 lead.

FINAL: Clemson 70, West Virginia 67

Game Thread

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI