Can the Tigers go dancing?
By: will-vandervort January 27, 2016

After eight days off, the Clemson basketball team returns to the hardwood today (7 p.m.) to take on Pitt at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.

The Tigers (12-7, 5-2 ACC) come into the Atlantic Coast Conference showdown hoping to add another top 40 win onto its résumé. The Panthers come to Greenville ranked No. 32 in the latest rating percentage index thanks to their impressive 16-3 overall record and 5-2 mark in the ACC.

Clemson, which has won five its last six games, already has three wins over top 30 RPI teams – No. 14 Miami, No. 18 Louisville and No. 28 Duke.

So how big is tonight’s game against Pitt? It’s not a must-win for the Tigers, but it’s one they definitely would like to get as they continue to build a résumé in hopes of making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2010-’11 season.

It’s also the last home game for the Tigers until Feb. 8 when they host No. 35 Notre Dame. Clemson will be at No. 50 FSU on Saturday, whom they beat at The Well on Jan. 2, at Wake Forest next Tuesday and then at Virginia Tech on Feb. 6.

A win over Pitt will give Clemson its fifth win over a top 50 team, with a chance to get a sixth win on the road at Tallahassee on Saturday. The Tigers will then have two more opportunities to earn top 50 wins against Notre Dame and No. 11 Virginia on March 1.

Granted, earning a couple of road wins along the way like at NC State, Georgia Tech and maybe at a Wake Forest or a Virginia Tech would be helpful in moving their latest RPI at No. 98 up, but if the Tigers can win against Pitt and possibly split their home games vs. Notre Dame and Virginia then they have a chance to go dancing.

The key to all of it is this, they can’t lose at home to Georgia Tech (Feb. 13) or Boston College (Feb. 17). Clemson already owns bad losses to No. 82 Georgia and No. 204 UMass. The Tigers have to hold serve in those games.

Though it is not a must-win versus Pitt tonight, winning it and maybe one against Notre Dame and Virginia can go a long way. If they do that, and I think they can, I can’t see a scenario that would leave the Tigers out of the NCAA Tournament.