Clemson basketball is heating up at just the right time - and the rest of the ACC is starting to feel it.
After a red-hot start to conference play, the Tigers are looking every bit like a team built for March. With a 15-3 overall record and a spotless 5-0 mark in the ACC, Clemson is rising fast in both the rankings and NCAA Tournament projections. In the latest bracketology release, the Tigers are slotted as a No. 6 seed - a sign that their résumé is gaining serious traction as we hit the heart of January.
Their latest win wasn’t just another tally in the win column - it was a statement. Clemson dominated Boston College 74-50 at Littlejohn Coliseum, and senior Nick Davidson was the engine that powered the blowout.
Davidson poured in 25 points, including an eye-popping stretch of 21 straight for the Tigers. That kind of individual takeover doesn’t just shift the momentum - it sends a message.
Clemson trailed early, but once Davidson got going, the game flipped, and the Tigers never looked back.
Supporting Davidson’s offensive explosion were RJ Godfrey and Carter Welling, both of whom chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds apiece. Their work on the glass and around the rim helped Clemson control the tempo and wear down a Boston College team that never found its footing.
Defensively, Clemson was just as impressive. The Tigers completely neutralized Boston College’s top scorer, Donald Hand Jr., holding him scoreless in 31 minutes.
That’s not a typo - zero points from the Eagles’ go-to guy. Clemson’s defense was locked in, switching smartly, contesting everything, and making life miserable for the Eagles on every possession.
This win followed a 15-point road victory at Notre Dame and a gritty 74-70 home win over then-No. 24 SMU - two more résumé-boosters that have helped Clemson climb to No. 26 in the NET rankings and No. 28 in KenPom. That upward trend is exactly what you want to see from a team trying to build momentum for March.
In the latest projections, Clemson is pegged to face No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with the game set to take place in Oklahoma City. Of course, there’s still plenty of basketball to be played, but this is the kind of positioning that reflects a team trending in the right direction - and fast.
It’s also worth noting what’s at stake historically. Clemson has never made the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons under head coach Brad Brownell.
That could change this year. After earning a No. 5 seed last season but falling early, and making a run to the Elite Eight as a No. 6 seed two years ago - their deepest tournament push since 1980 - this year’s group has a real shot to keep that postseason streak alive.
The Tigers are now ranked No. 21 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and No. 22 in the AP Top 25. And with the way they’re playing - balanced offense, stifling defense, and a senior leader in Davidson who can take over games - Clemson doesn’t just look like a tournament team. They look like a team that could make some serious noise when they get there.