CLEMSON – Clemson basketball sits at 6-0 coming off a statement win over No. 23 Alabama, but the Tigers are battling through a couple key injuries that have limited what could be even more from this team.

Head coach Brad Brownell addressed the media Friday and gave key updates on two veterans in the Clemson rotation. He started off with graduate guard Alex Hemenway. It’s been a long journey for Hemenway, who dealt with lower leg issues leading into the season but played 78 minutes over the first five games, averaging 5.2 points and a 42% three-point shooting mark.

Hemenway did not play in the win over the Crimson Tide, and Brownell clarified the injury. It’s took an unfortunate turn for the Indiana native and there’s expectation that he could miss a month with an issue the Tigers didn’t expect coming.

“It’s a ligament that’s kind of a rare injury that the trainer says he really hadn’t seen, and he could be out a month. So it’s just, you know, I hate it for him because he’s had a bunch of these lower leg issues right now and he just can’t quite get past it…he’s battling,” Brownell said.

That’s not the only issue plaguing Clemson, and the other regards transfer forward Jack Clark. The former La Salle and NC State standout is playing, but deals with a lot of “soreness” day-to-day according to Brownell.

Clark has appeared in each game so far, but hasn’t played more than 19 minutes and is averaging 2.8 points. Brownell said Clark hasn’t had the chance to get into a groove yet and compared the injury to PJ Hall battling last season, especially early.

“He’s not close to 100% and he’s trying to play and he’s frustrated. The poor guy had a surgery that didn’t take, he had to do it again. He’s been battling to get it right. He lives in the training room. He’s still just really sore all the time. I don’t think he feels good,” Brownell said.

Before ACC play officially arrives, Brownell said he’s offered to Clark to take time off but the 6-foot-10 transfer doesn’t want to keep trying. There’s some mental side to it, and Brownell admitted “if you only play when you feel good, you’re not going to play a lot” and that’s what Clark is going through.

These injuries are daily battles, and Clemson took a day off to regroup after the ranked win. The Tigers have little time to rest as an early conference matchup approaches Sunday. Clemson travels north to take on Pittsburgh, tipping off at 2 p.m., televised on the ACC Network.