February is here, and that means March Madness is beginning to take shape. The Clemson basketball team finds itself right in the thick of the NCAA Tournament picture. Through the end of the season, TCI will have a daily update of the Tigers’ chances of being selected into the field of 68 complete with RPI ranking, KenPom.com ranking, and a percentage chance the Tigers are included in the field courtesy of TeamRankings.com.

Record: 13-8 (6-3 ACC)

RPI: 86th (+1, 6-4 Top 50, 6-6 Top 100)

KenPom.com: 58th (-1)

Chances: 21.7% (-0.1%)

Qualk’s Take: It’s hard to put Clemson’s body of work into perspective. The RPI number is out of normal range for a tournament team, but the top 50 numbers are clearly worthy of tournament inclusion. There’s so much basketball left to be played, but I’d find it hard to keep the Tigers out of the field given the way they’ve played over the past month against such a grueling ACC schedule.

Here are some games to watch tonight that could impact Clemson’s NCAA Tournament hopes…

LSU (-7) at Auburn, 7:00 PM, SECN: The Ben Simmons effect will probably be a month-long issue for Clemson. LSU has been woefully inconsistent and has underachieved this season, but the feeling that this is an NCAA Tournament team, regardless of how it plays, factors into the decision making process sometimes. The more upset losses the Tigers experience, the clearer the pathway for Clemson to pull an at-large berth. This trip to Auburn looks like it has the ability to be one of those losses.

South Carolina at Georgia, 7:00 PM, ESPNU: This game is a coin flip, and it probably benefits Clemson for the Bulldogs to hold serve at home. The goal is to get as many teams on the schedule into the upper tiers of the RPI rankings as possible so the numbers look better on a season profile. Georgia is currently ranked 75th, while South Carolina is in the top 30. Clemson lost to both, so enhancing a win isn’t an option, and Georgia’s current body of work is inferior to Clemson’s with regards to an at-large bid, in my opinion. Because the Bulldogs aren’t really a threat at the present time, a win can help balance Clemson’s body of work.

Georgetown at Butler (-5), 7:00 PM, FS1: This matchup features two bubble teams. Georgetown looks similar to Clemson in terms of rectifying a disappointing nonconference performance by getting hot in Big East play. Butler is moving in the opposite direction. If the Bulldogs continue to tank, it could eliminate an at-large competitor, but the Hoyas could do the same to reach the same end result. Basically, this is just a fascinating game to watch.

Duke (-3.5) at Georgia Tech, 9:00 PM, ESPNU: Georgia Tech can be a tricky team to figure out at home. The Yellow Jackets are probably an NIT-level team, while there’s virtually no way the Blue Devils will slip that far. Therefore, pulling for a Tech win helps the Tigers by establishing it as a capable team before Clemson squares off against Brian Gregory’s squad twice in the next few weeks.

Alabama at Mississippi State (-3.5), 9:00 PM, SECN: Mississippi State is below the .500 mark, while Alabama is quickly headed that way. The Crimson Tide represent an interesting case of a team just outside the RPI top 50 whose placement is far superior to the overall body of work. This is the kind of win that could propel the Tide into that top 50 and enhance Clemson’s strength of schedule.

If you haven’t already order your copy today of Guts & Glory – Tales of Clemson’s Historic 2015 Football Season to help you celebrate and remember this special season.