Countdown to tip off: Tigers look to end losing streak to UNC
By: will-vandervort January 30, 2018

Since Brad Brownell became head coach eight years ago, his Clemson teams have not beaten North Carolina. Today, his 20th-ranked Tigers hope to knock off No. 19 UNC at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson.

The Tar Heels have won 10 straight in the series and 20 of the last 21. Clemson’s only win came in 2010 at Littlejohn.

“This is a team we have had a hard time playing against lately so we have to figure some things out here and need a really good mental preparation day to get ready to go for (tonight’s) game,” Brownell said.

GAMEDAY SETUP

CLEMSON (17-4, 6-3 ACC) vs. NORTH CAROLINA (16-6, 5-3 ACC)

Date: Today

Tipoff: 7:01 p.m.

Arena: Littlejohn Coliseum (9,000)

Radio: CTN (Don Munson-pbp; Tim Bourret-color)

TV: ESPN (Rece Davis-pbp; Jay Bilas-color; Gene Wojciechowski-sideline)

  • Clemson trails the all-time series to North Carolina 20-132.
  • The Tigers are 16-39 all-time in Clemson against the Tar Heels.
  • Clemson’s last victory over UNC came in a 83-64 win on Jan. 13, 2010.
  • The Tigers lost 87-79 earlier this season in Chapel Hill.
  • Gabe DeVoe led the Tigers to a two-point victory at Georgia Tech with a career-high 25 points on a career-best 10 made field goals.
  • Marcquise Reed tallied a career-best 11 assists in the win at Georgia Tech.

SERIES HISTORY
CU Series W-L record: Clemson is 20-132 all-time against North Carolina.
Streak: The Tar Heels have won 10-straight in the series.

TIGER TRACKS

  •  Clemson comes into the week ranked for the fifth consecutive week in the AP Top 25 poll (No. 20). Clemson is also ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll at No. 20
  • Clemson’s RPI checks in at fifth nationally.
  • Marcquise Reed posted a career-high 11 assists against Georgia Tech (Jan. 28) – the most by a Tiger since the late Demontez Stitt also posted 11 in a 80-75 home win over Liberty on Dec. 7, 2008.
  • Combined with his 13 points, it marks the first double-double with assists since Feb. 7, 2008 when Cliff Hammonds posted 16 points and 11 helpers.
  • Reed put together the longest free throw streak of the season for the Tigers. Reed has now connected on 14 in a row from the Miami game through the Virginia game. (Jan. 13-Jan. 23). It ended with a missed free throw at Georgia Tech (Jan. 30).
  • In the latest KenPom rankings, the Tigers are ranked Nos. 17, 11 and 46 in overall, adjusted defensive efficiency (92.0) and adjusted offensive efficiency (112.9).
  • Clemson’s resume features five Top 35 Ken Pom wins.
  • The Tigers are 11-0 at home this season, including 4-0 in ACC play.

SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS

  • North Carolina has lost two straight games (at Virginia Tech and vs. NC State). Carolina has not lost three in a row since opening ACC play 0-3 in 2014 (losses at Wake Forest, to Miami and at Syracuse).
  • Against Clemson on Jan. 16, the Tar Heels shot 65 percent from the floor in the second half, their second-highest percentage in a half this season (.679 in first half vs. Tulane on 12/3/17) and highest in a half in ACC play this year.
  • UNC made 15 three-pointers against Clemson in that game, the second most the season for the Tar Heels. Their 31 attempts were the second most in a game by a Roy Williams’ North Carolina team.
  • Luke Maye (18.6) and Joel Berry II (17.0) lead Carolina in scoring. The last time two Tar Heels averaged 17 points or more in the same season was 1983-84, when Michael Jordan (19.6) and Sam Perkins (17.6) were UNC’s top scoring duo.
  • Maye is on pace to become the sixth Tar Heel to average a double-double in the last 40 years with Brice Johnson (2016), John Henson (2011), Tyler Hansbrough (2008), Sean May (2005) and Antawn Jamison (1998).
  • The Tar Heels lead the country in rebounds per game (43.4) and are second in rebound margin (11.7).
  • Carolina is fourth in the country in rebounding its own missed shots. The Tar Heels grab 37.7 percent of their own missed shots.
  • Carolina is hitting 8.0 three-pointers per game, which is second in school history and the most in the Roy Williams era. The previous high under Roy Williams was 7.6 in 2012-13 when UNC started four perimeter players over the final 13 games.

—Staff Reports