Bracket Watch: Tigers have opportunity to leave NCAA bubble behind |
Clemson (11-5, 5-5) was on ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's "last four byes" section heading into Tuesday's game with North Carolina, which would keep them just out of the First Four NCAA Tournament round.
The 63-50 win over the Tar Heels provided some breathing room and there's opportunity for more facing two more teams in the ACC middle-of-the-pack at home next, in Syracuse Saturday (2 p.m./ACC Network; 10-5, 4-4) and Georgia Tech next Friday (8-6, 4-4). Lunardi has Clemson on the 10-seed line currently, on the low end of projections nationally, where Bracket Matrix averages an 8-seed for Clemson. CBS Sports picks a 7-seed for Brad Brownell's group. If the Tigers can play more like Tuesday down the stretch, there is ample opportunity to move up the seed-line. After the next two home games, Clemson is scheduled to head on the road for three with Notre Dame (7-9; No. 63 KenPom), Pitt (9-5; No. 79 KenPom) and Wake Forest (5-8; 120 KenPom). The slate is scheduled to close at home with Miami (7-10; No. 119 KenPom) and then Pitt again, with some room between those games (between Feb. 27 to March 6) for a possible reschedule of prior postponed games as well. That's an average KenPom rating for those opponents just inside the top-100 (95). The ACC Tournament is scheduled next in Greensboro for March 9-13, then Selection Sunday March 14 and the NCAA First Round starting in the Indianapolis area on March 19. Clemson NCAA Tourney profile Record: 11-5 NET: 54 KenPom: 56 Strength of schedule: 11 Non-conference SOS: 106 Record vs. Quadrant 1 teams*: 3-5 Quadrant 3 or 4 losses: None. * 1-30 NET teams at home, 1-50 at neutral sites, 1-75 in away games.
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