Clemson men’s basketball is still trying to find its footing, and the biggest problem is starting to look like a long-term one.
Three games into the season, Brad Brownell is already juggling injuries, eligibility issues and a rotation that keeps shrinking instead of settling. Center Carter Welling has been out since the beginning of March with a torn ACL, guard Zac Foster tore his ACL in the same knee he injured back in December, and Dillon Hunter still does not have eligibility as of Tuesday.
That has forced Brownell into a tight rotation early. In Clemson’s win over North Dakota, a game in which the Tigers trailed by two at halftime, four players logged 30 minutes and Brownell used only eight players overall.
That kind of workload may not be a one-night adjustment. It could be the reality for a while.
“Our lack of depth is hurting us because it’s hard for us to be disruptive,” he said on Monday. “We got guys we don’t want fouling.
We can’t get as extended. It makes it harder.”
The roster construction only adds to the challenge. Inside that rotation are four transfers and one freshman, and two of those newcomers - Chase Thompson and Dallas Thomas - are being asked to handle bigger roles while they continue to learn.
Redshirt guard Ace Buckner has become the central piece with Hunter out indefinitely and Welling sidelined until at least the new year. Buckner played 36 minutes in the win.
Brownell is also working with four new assistant coaches, which has added another layer of adjustment.
“When you have new guys, it’s harder for you to get them to understand exactly what we’re all trying to do, because some of it’s different than what they’re used to and it all kind of contributes a little bit,” Brownell said.
The defensive issues are just as pressing. Clemson has already allowed 32 threes through three games, and that number has to come down fast. Georgetown is next on the schedule, and the Hoyas made 15 threes at a 50% clip in their last win, so the perimeter will be front and center on Friday.
That matchup also brings a physical challenge Brownell knows his current group has to handle better.
“Our defense has to improve,” he said. “We can’t keep giving up this many threes and giving up these kinds of percentages and expect to beat teams that are big, strong and physical.”
There is still time for Clemson to settle in, but the clock is part of the problem. Brownell needs players to develop, injured pieces to return and eligibility issues to get resolved if he’s going to build the rotation he expected.
That urgency is baked into the non-conference schedule the Tigers put together.
“Getting Dillon [Hunter] eligible would help. Harris [Reynolds] needs to play a little bit better, but that’s part of what we’re going to deal with,” he said. “It just wasn’t how we planned going into the season, but it is what it is.”
Clemson returns Friday night at home against Georgetown. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
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