CLEMSON — Brad Brownell hasn’t shied away from the fact that with so many new faces on his Clemson basketball team, this will be one of the bigger challenges of his career.

With Dillon Hunter being the only regular to return, along with a couple of players who redshirted last season, Brownell had to hit the portal hard. The veteran head coach brought in six transfers, with each being counted on to contribute this season.

Through the team’s first two games, those transfers have done their part. Carter Welling, Nick Davidson and RJ Godfrey have all played substantial roles in the Tigers’ winning their first two games of the season in blowout fashion.

Welling recorded his first double-double of his Clemson career with 14 points and 11 rebounds in the 97-59 win over Gardner-Webb on Friday night. Nine of those boards came in the second half, and he totaled five on the offensive glass.

Welling has also been effective in an area that doesn’t always show up in the box score: the defensive end. For him, that’s where the identity of this year’s team begins, but it’s certainly not where it stops.

“I would say we are a pretty selfless team,” Welling said. “I think we all get along with each other. I would say we are a defensive team that can also score the ball. I think we are a dual-threat in that regard. I think you got to respect every single one of our players. We got a lot of dudes that can do a lot of things. Both ends of the floor.”

At this early stage of the season, Brownell just wants to see his team play hard and selflessly. With the Tigers having 38 assists over the first two games, the head coach has to be pleased with what he’s seen in that regard.

“Unselfish, play hard,” Brownell said. “Right now, we are doing those things, but we are still trying to figure out who we are and how we can help each guy be successful. Get them to play the right way together.”

After two games, Clemson ranks No. 14 in the ESPN BPI and No. 24 in the KenPom Rankings. The Tigers will return to action on Tuesday night, when Morehead State visits Littlejohn Coliseum as Brownell’s squad looks to build on the early-season momentum.

“It’s challenging, but it has been fun,” Brownell added. “It is a good group of guys, and they are working really hard. I think they are excited to play. They seem excited every game night, which is really good.”

Photo by Bart Boatwright