CLEMSON — Granted, Clemson has played in Chapel Hill, N.C., 56 more times that it has in Syracuse, N.Y., where the Tigers will play Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome. However, thanks to Tuesday’s stunning win at No. 3 North Carolina, Clemson now has more wins in Chapel Hill than it does in Syracuse.
The Tigers (15-7, 5-6 ACC) are 1-5 all-time in Syracuse, with their only win there coming on January 5, 2016. They won that contest, 74-73, in overtime. Of course, Clemson is now 2-60 all-time in Chapel Hill.
“I’m really happy for my players,” Brownell said following the win over the Tar Heels. “We have had some close losses here recently. I have said many times, I think we are playing better than our ACC record, but I think our league is good.”
That’s why the Tigers will have to play well on Saturday to beat Syracuse. The Orange (15-8, 6-6 ACC) are actually ahead of Clemson in the ACC Standings at the moment and, like Clemson, is coming off an emotional-last-second win against Louisville.
Besides winning in Chapel Hill, the Tigers have won at Alabama, at Pittsburgh and at Florida State, while also losing by just two points at Memphis and by one point at Duke.
“I think there is confidence that comes from playing in environments against really tough teams like North Carolina, Duke, Alabama and playing well in those environments,” Brownell said. “It gives you confidence the next time.
“Certainly, our guys are competitive guys. We did not lack confidence, but the boost by the way we started is the jolt you kind of need. You kind of need something like that to reassure you a little bit. I think that helped everybody tonight.”
The Tigers opened the UNC game with a 15-2 run and never trailed in the contest. Clemson is 4-4 this year in true road games.
Girard’s Homecoming
Clemson guard Joseph Girard III (11) goes up strong with a shot during the second half of the Tigers’ win over Florida State on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson. (Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider)
Saturday’s trip to the JMA Wireless Dome will be a homecoming for Clemson Guard Joe Girard, who earned his undergraduate degree, while scoring 1,652 points in four seasons at Syracuse. Saturday will mark his first game back at Syracuse after transferring to Clemson last May.
“It will be great to see everybody,” Girard said to Syracuse.com earlier this week. “I think that will be the most exciting thing for me, seeing all the people that were there with me for four years, fans included. Other than that, once the ball goes up, it is a new game.”
Girard played 125 games for the Orange, including 123 starts. Of his 362 career three-pointers, 297 came while playing for Syracuse.
“It has not really hit me that I am going back to play against them,” Girard said. “I am just in the midst of my season. They are in the midst of their season. As someone who is living in it, you kind of do not think too far ahead. You always just kind of take one game at a time, so you do not really think too much about it.
“Now that it is here, I am just kind of focused on the game plan and focused on the (scouting report) whenever we get it. Other than that, I have not really thought too much of it.”
Girard’s 362 three-pointers rank third all-time in ACC history. He comes into the Syracuse game averaging 15 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He is shooting 42.8 percent from behind the arc (65-152).
Moving On Up
Clemson is ranked No. 29 in the nation in the latest NET rankings. The Tigers are the third-highest ranked ACC team in the NET.
Clemson is 4-4 in Quad 1 games and is third among ACC teams with four Quad 1 wins (North Carolina, 5; Duke, 5).
The Tigers are No. 20 in the RPI and have the No. 11 NET strength of schedule in the country. Clemson’s RPI strength of schedule is No. 8. It was 302 last year.
—Above photo by Bob Donnan / USA TODAY Sports
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