The 15th-ranked Clemson basketball team travels to Blacksburg, Va., tonight to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies at 7 p.m.
This is a big game for both teams as Clemson has just a one-game lead over the Hokies for fourth place in the ACC standings. The top four seeds in next month’s ACC Basketball Tournament earn a two-day bye in the tournament and automatically advance to the quarterfinals.
The Tigers have lost two straight games, and will be without the services of point guard Shelton Mitchell for a second straight game as he recovers from a concussion he suffered at Florida State one week ago.
GAMEDAY SETUP
CLEMSON (20-6, 9-5 ACC) vs. VIRGINIA TECH (19-8, 8-6 ACC)
Date: Today
Tipoff: 7:06 p.m. ET
Arena: Cassell Coliseum (9,275)
Radio: CTN (Don Munson-pbp; Tim Bourret-color)
TV: RSN (Tom Werme-pbp; Jason Capel-color)
- Clemson is 15-18 all-time against Virginia Tech.
- The Tigers have won two-of-the-last five matchups with the Hokies.
- The Tigers are 6-11 on the road against the Hokies.
- Clemson sits third in the ACC in scoring defense (65.8 ppg).
- The two-game skid for Clemson is the first time the Tigers have lost back-to-back games in the regular season since nearly a year ago on Feb. 21 and Feb. 25 of 2017.
SERIES HISTORY
CU Series W-L record: Clemson is 15-18 all-time against Virginia Tech.
Streak: The Tigers have won two-of-the-last-five.
TIGER TRACKS
- The Tigers’ Elijah Thomas turned in his seventh double-double of the season and ninth of his career in a nine-point loss to Duke on Feb. 18. His 15 rebounds were one shy of tying his career mark.
- After setting his career-high with 10 points at Florida State on Feb. 14, Simms tied that total on Feb. 18 against Duke on 4-for-6 shooting from the field.
- Simms made career-best four field goals for the third game in his career.
- With one more 3-pointer against Duke, Gabe DeVoe is tied for 11th all-time in the Clemson record book for threes in a career (147).
- In the latest KenPom rankings, the Tigers are ranked Nos. 16, 7 and 52 in overall, adjusted defensive efficiency (93.4) and adjusted offensive efficiency (113.9).
- Clemson is ranked for the eighth consecutive week in the AP Top 25 poll (No. 15). Clemson is also ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll at No. 17.
- Clemson’s RPI checks in at 10th nationally, while their SOS sits 21st.
- In two games last season, Marcquise Reed is averaging 10.5 points per game against Virginia Tech and shooting 50.0 percent from the floor.
- Elijah Thomas has also produced well in his career against the Hokies – averaging 10.5 points and making 10-of-14 field goals in two contests with 13 total rebounds.
- Clemson enters the Virginia Tech game with a 9-5 conference record. A victory in Blacksburg would tie the program record for ACC wins in a season. Clemson has had 10 ACC wins five times previously with the last two times coming under Brad Brownell. The Tigers were 10-8 in 2013-14 and 2015-16.
- The Clemson record for wins in any conference is 11. Clemson was 11-4 in the Southern Conference under Head Coach Banks McFadden in 1951-52.
SCOUTING THE HOKIES
- Virginia Tech has four players scoring in double figures.
- The Hokies are led by guards Justin Robinson and Justin Bibbs. Robinson is averaging 13.7 point per game, while Bibb is scoring 13.5 points per game.
- Forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 11.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
- Forward Kerry Blackshear is averaging 12.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
—Staff Reports