Clemson’s exhibition opener gave the Tigers more than a win. It offered an early look at how Brad Brownell’s seven newcomers fit together, and one of them wasted no time stealing the spotlight.
Dylan Faulkner, the senior transfer big from Samford, delivered the kind of debut that gets remembered. Clemson edged Georgia 82-80 on Friday night at Littlejohn Coliseum, and Faulkner sealed it with a putback at the buzzer after missing the initial try. The final sequence was the exclamation point, but the bigger takeaway was everything he did before that.
Faulkner looked like a player Clemson can build around. He finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, and he was a problem for Georgia every time he got near the rim.
He also went 11-for-13 at the foul line, punishing the Bulldogs whenever they sent him to the stripe. Brownell had him working as a high-post hub, and Faulkner showed he can do more than score - he can distribute, shoot, and attack on his own.
That blend matters for a Clemson team that will be without Carter Welling at the five spot. Faulkner’s role in this offense looks important right away, and his night against Georgia suggested he’s ready for it.
Cole Certa also made his presence felt in a very different way. The shooting guard got the start next to Ace Buckner and spent much of the night in a spot-up role, the kind of floor-spacing job that asked him to stay ready and punish Georgia when he got clean looks. He knocked down a huge shot late, one that pushed Clemson to a 78-70 lead with under three minutes left.
Just as important, Brownell trusted Certa on the defensive end against Georgia guard Blue Cain. He held up well in that matchup and showed the lateral quickness Clemson wanted to see.
For Harris Reynolds, the night came with more bumps but plenty of minutes. The true freshman was on the floor a lot because Buckner spent much of the game in foul trouble.
Reynolds started 0-for-5, and every shot he took was from beyond the arc, but he still found a way to impact the game. He made 5 of 8 free throws and finished with 5 points and 5 rebounds, tying for the second-most boards on the team.
There were freshman mistakes too, including an ill-advised lob pass that turned into a turnover in the final minute. Even so, Brownell kept him involved and clearly sees a future for him in the rotation.
"He's gonna be a really good player here. He just needs experience, and this was a great learning experience for him."
Ian Fuchs spent 14 minutes alongside Faulkner and came away with 6 points and 4 rebounds. Clemson used him as the other big body, but that pairing had trouble keeping Georgia off the offensive glass. The Bulldogs grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and turned them into 15 second-chance points, a glaring issue that will need to get cleaned up before games start counting.
That problem falls squarely on Fuchs, Faulkner, and Carter Welling when he returns from injury. It was a rough stretch in that area, though not one that should be overread in an exhibition.
Josh Beadle’s role was quieter. The TCU transfer produced 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in 22 minutes. His night was built more around defense and connective play than scoring, and that seems likely to define plenty of his value this season.
Two newcomers did not play at all: James and Stevens. Both true freshmen will be waiting for their chance when Clemson hosts Presbyterian for an October 28 exhibition at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Clemson’s next opponent fielding similar talent to itself comes on November 13 against Georgetown. That should give Brownell another good measuring stick, and another chance to see how these new pieces hold up together.
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Even with the win, the evening offered a reminder that this group still has room to sharpen its edge. Clemson was only 6-for-28 from three-point range, so the Tigers will need cleaner perimeter shooting to match the toughness they showed inside, but Faulkners late game-winning shot at the buzzer gave fans a taste of how dangerous this new-look frontcourt can be when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Uneven Debut Exposed A Problem That Could Shape November
Clemsons season-opening tuneup against Georgia gave Brad Brownell a first real look at how much work remains before the games start counting. The Tigers escaped with an 82-80 exhibition win on Oct. 23, and Dylan Faulkner delivered the game-winning basket, but the night also underscored how thin the rotation can feel when the roster is missing pieces.
Carter Welling and Zac Foster were both sidelined by injuries, while Dillon Hunter sat out pending an eligibility ruling, leaving Brownell to sort through combinations with the regular season still ahead. The result was encouraging enough on the scoreboard, but the bigger takeaway for Clemson is whether the team can build enough depth and stability to handle the stretch that really matters once November arrives. [Read more 🡒]