CHARLOTTE — If Clemson is going to make a run in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, the Tigers are going to have to find a way to fill the void left by the season-ending injury to Dillon Hunter.

The junior guard suffered a broken hand in Thursday’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal win over SMU. Clemson was eliminated the following day by Louisville, a game in which the Tigers didn’t get much production from the players charged with stepping up in Hunter’s absence.

Chauncey Wiggins, who started in Hunter’s place, finished with just seven points and was 3-of-8 from the field. Freshman Del Jones missed on both of his shot attempts. He also had three turnovers in 11 minutes.

Jake Heidbreder is another one of those players the Tigers need more from. The redshirt junior has appeared in 30 of the 33 games this season, and will likely see his role expand after the injury to Hunter.

“Dillon is a great player,” Heidbreder told The Clemson Insider. “He brings so much to this team. His energy is a big thing.”

In Friday’s loss to Louisville, Heidbreder finished with just four points, shooting 1-of-5 from the floor, which included going 0-for-3 from three-point range. He also committed two turnovers.

With Clemson set to open NCAA Tournament play on Thursday against a very good mid-major squad in McNeese, Heidbreder will be the first to admit, the Tigers need more than they got from him in Charlotte.

“People like me, Chauncey, Del, we got to step up and kind of fill that role,” Heidbreder said. “Especially me. I got to be better than I was (in the ACC Tournament).”

Photo courtesy of Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images