The Sweet 16 is upon us, with games in the 2024 NCAA Tournament returning today, including sixth-seeded Clemson’s matchup with No. 2 Arizona in the West Regional.

Before the Sweet 16 action gets underway, ESPN named the biggest difference-makers for each of those 16 teams (subscription required), and Chase Hunter was pegged as the biggest impact player for the Tigers.

That comes as no surprise considering the senior guard scored a game-high 21 points and had six assists in Clemson’s 77-56 first-round win over No. 11 New Mexico, then had a similar performance in the 72-64 victory over No. 3 Baylor, scoring a team-best 20 points and dishing out six assists as the Tigers punched their ticket to the Sweet 16.

“Teammate PJ Hall was the choice when we conducted this exercise last week, but since that time Hunter’s been the best player for the Tigers. The senior has 41 points and 12 assists to go with four steals in Clemson’s wins over New Mexico and Baylor,” ESPN’s John Gasaway wrote.

“With the ball often found in Hunter’s capable hands, Brad Brownell’s team has committed just 20 total turnovers in 137 tournament possessions. No Sweet 16 team owns a win over an opponent seeded higher than No. 3 Baylor, which fell to the Tigers in the round of 32.”

For Arizona, senior guard and former North Carolina standout Caleb Love was named the Wildcats’ biggest impact player.

“While Love is just 6 of 20 from beyond the arc in the tournament, he has 10 assists in two games and pulled down 11 boards against Long Beach State. Arizona’s work on the defensive glass has been very good all season, and a guard who pulls down a miss can often start the fast break instantly,” Gasaway wrote.

“The lessons Tommy Lloyd learned as an assistant at Gonzaga have helped fuel the Wildcats’ fast-paced attack. Only Alabama has played at a faster rate than Arizona’s 75 possessions per 40 minutes over the first two tournament outings.”

Tonight’s game between the Tigers (23-11) and Wildcats (27-8) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is set to tip off at 7:09 p.m. on CBS. Arizona is currently a 7.5-point favorite.

–Photo courtesy Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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