By Will Vandervort

For the second time this season, Clemson enters a game trying to forget about what might have been from its previous outing.

The Tigers (12-11, 4-7 ACC) head into tonight’s ACC showdown with Georgia Tech still reeling from last Sunday’s 58-57 loss to NC State. The Wolfpack’s Scott Wood drained a three-pointer with one second to play, breaking Clemson’s heart for a second time this season.

Florida State’s Michael Snaer banked in a 28-foot shot as time expired to beat Clemson, 60-57, on Jan. 24 in Tallahassee.

“It’s very tough losing games that close,” guard Jordan Roper said. “It tells you there is just that much of a difference from being good, and then losing a game.”

In all, five of the Tigers seven losses in conference play have been by seven points or less. In each of those games, Clemson had a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minute, only to either miss a shot or turn the basketball over.

With such a young team, Clemson head coach Brad Brownell says there is a fine line on how he has to handle the disappointments because it’s his job to make sure they learn from each of those defeats without losing their confidence along the way.

“You try to encourage them from the standpoint that we have played well enough in a bunch of games to prove that we can play with a lot of people, but to also point out that the margin for winning and losing is very small,” Brownell said. “A couple of mistakes at different parts of the game are critical and at times can be devastating. Those can be the possessions that lose the game for you.”

The Tigers had several of those possessions against NC State, including one late. Roper and forward K.J. McDaniels both passed up open looks on a possession that could have extended the lead to four points, but instead Clemson was called for a shot clock violation.

Clemson also had unforced turnovers – like bad passes, illegal screens, traveling and three second violations – at key moments that allowed the Wolfpack to erase a 12-point deficit.

“Coach Brownell reminds us every day, it is just the little things,” Roper said. “I mean it can be just faking a pass or making a pass or knocking down free throws. It can be anything. It’s just the little things.”

Senior Milton Jennings also missed the front end of a one-and-one with 12.5 seconds left that set up Wood’s game winner.

“It doesn’t have to always be the one at the end of a game or a miss shot or something of that nature, but it might be a mistake that you made early on that ends up costing you a basket,” Brownell said. “When you turn back and look, you have lost by one point. You use it as reinforcement and positively when you can.”

The Tigers were able to do that following the FSU heartbreak. Clemson bounced back to beat Virginia Tech, 77-70, in the very next game. But, that game was in the friendly confines of Littlejohn Coliseum where they play much better. Tonight’s game is at Georgia Tech, where Clemson is not only trying to end a three-game losing streak, but also its five-game skid in ACC road games this year.

The good news for Clemson is does have some experience in winning a close game, and what makes it better is that it came against the team it is playing tonight. The Tigers were able to hold off Tech in the final seconds on Jan. 29 for a 63-60 victory. Ironically, that was also their last win.

“The encouraging thing is that we are a young group,” Roper said. “We can learn from these mistakes and the experience will help us when we are in these situations again. So I think it is discouraging, but it is also encouraging.”