After starting the season 11-2, including a nine game winning streak, Clemson has dropped four in a row thanks to Saturday’s 77-73 loss to Virginia at home.

The losing streak could not have come at a worse time for the Tigers, as they are now 1-4 in ACC play.

Brad Brownell led teams are usually known for stingy defense and good-enough offense. What is ironic so far this season is that the offense has put up impressive numbers while the defense is somewhat lacking.

Over the last four losses Clemson has given up an average of 79 points per game to opponents, well above the average of 67 points per game in the first 13 games. The main area concern is perimeter defense, where teams have shot a staggering 43-percent against Clemson over the last four games.

Virginia alone made 10-of-18 shots from behind the arc, and while Clemson held Virginia in check for most of the game, London Perrantes and Marial Shayok were nearly unstoppable down the stretch, combining for 42 points.

Jaron Blossomgame, 22 points and six rebounds against Virginia, says the team needs to recapture its old defensive mojo.

“We have to get our toughness back on defense,” he said. “I think we’re a little numb to the fact that teams are scoring on us because under Coach Brownell that’s not something we usually do…we’re usually a really good defensive team.”

Part of the reason for this is the caliber of teams they are playing. Powerhouses such as North Carolina, Notre Dame and Virginia all have playoff pedigrees that Clemson simply does not have.

“We are playing in the best basketball conference in America and you have to come to play every night because you can be beat by anybody,” Blossomgame said.

Blossomgame says that even though the team is struggling a bit on defense, the real area that they need to improve on is finishing close games.

“We need to figure out ways to close out games to win games. We always compete, but down the stretch it’s always a loss for us” he said.

It is not like Clemson is getting blown out either as five out of the six losses this season have come by six points or less. With an offense that just damaged Virginia to the tune of 73 points, the second most given up by the Cavaliers this season, the slightest defensive tuning could lead to major success.

If the offense continues to hum and Blossomgame can lead the defense to tighten up in close games, the Tigers could turn things around. That quest begins next Thursday at the hostile confines of the KFC Yum! Center to take on a No. 14 Louisville that took down Kentucky earlier in the season, and beat Duke on Saturday.