CLEMSON — The best way to mark the success of a program is by the level of consistency it is playing at.

In case you have not been paying attention, and I know there are a lot of distractions coming from the football offices these days, Clemson Basketball has become one of the top programs in the ACC.

Though nobody nationally or around the ACC seems to recognize that to be the case, I certainly do. The Tigers won their sixth straight game Wednesday night to improve to 13-3, and more importantly 3-0 in the ACC.

Why is that a big deal?

Well, Clemson’s 3-0 start in the ACC marks its third 3-0 start in conference play in the last four seasons.

“You have to have good players to win to win in this league,” head coach Brad Brownell said after his team defeated SMU on Wednesday. “We have good players that played together and play for each other, and I think really enjoy being at Clemson. That is our secret.”

That’s a darn good secret.

It is so good, no one is paying attention to what Clemson is doing on the hardwood.

The Tigers are 21-2 in their last 23 ACC games dating back to last season. Now, I know that is not a big deal at Duke or UNC, but at Clemson…that is a huge deal in basketball.

Dating back to last year, the Tigers have won 11 straight ACC regular season games. Oh by the way, they have won 10 straight conference road games.

Again, this is Clemson Basketball I am talking about.

Can the Tigers keep this up forever?

No, of course not.

Basketball is too long of a season. It has its highs, and its lows.

However, as I wrote above, consistency is what marks a program, and few programs around the ACC and the country, for that matter, have won consistently at a high level like Clemson has done.

How consistent have the Tigers been?

Clemson has won 87 games since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, which ranks second in the ACC during that span. From 2022-25, the Tigers were 74-30.

Their 74-30 record is the most wins in Clemson history over three consecutive years. The previous mark was a 72-30 mark between 2006-07 and 2008-09. Clemson is fifth in win percentage in the ACC since 2010 in overall games and league games.

The Tigers won a school record 27 games in 2024-25, including wins over AP Top 5 Kentucky and Duke. Clemson finished 18-2 in the ACC – the most conference wins in school history, including a record 15 by double-digits (third-most in ACC history).

Clemson finished 9-1 on the road in league play, four more ACC road wins than any previous season. Since 2017-18, the Tigers are fourth in the ACC in wins (177) and fourth in league wins (90).

“Clemson Basketball to me is Brad Brownell,” ESPN’s Debbie Antonelli said. “Tough, gritty, incredibly prepared, ready for the next challenge.”

And, obviously, ready for the next step. When will that happen? I don’t know. But Brownell has got Clemson closer than it has ever been before.

Two years ago, Clemson went to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Everyone thought it was a magical run, but maybe it is a little bit more.

It might just be consistency at its finest.