No. 18 Clemson at No. 2 Virginia, 7 p.m., NBCSW
It wasn't always pretty, but the Cavaliers managed to get by Wake Forest, 59-49, on Sunday. UVa got out to a 17-10 lead, but then fell behind 24-19 near the end of the first half and 30-25 early in the second half before catching the Demon Deacons and eventually pulling away. Kyle Guy led the team with 17 points and made 3 of his 6 3-pointers. De'Andre Hunter had another monster game off the
bench, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Devon Hall added 12 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. He made 2 of 4 from downtown. Isaiah Wilkins had two points but also four rebounds, four blocks, two assists, and a steal. Nigel Johnson had a pretty steady game off the bench with six points, three rebounds, and an assist.
Virginia committed 10 turnovers and looked a little sloppy overall, not surprising considering it was the Cavaliers' second consecutive ACC road opponent, and the atmosphere wasn't that charged. But like plenty of other games this season, the Wahoos were businesslike and got the job done, never seeming flustered and always making a shot when it was necessary.
Virginia returns home tonight where hopefully a little pep in the step returns. A ranked Clemson team is on the docket. Here's more on this year's Tigers:
Record: 16-3, 5-2 ACC
Scorers in double digits: Junior guard Marcquise Reed (16), junior guard Shelton Mitchell (12.3), senior guard Gabe DeVoe (11.7), junior forward Elijah Thomas (11.1)
Leading rebounders: Thomas (7.7), DeVoe (4.7), Reed (4.6)
Assist leaders: Mitchell (4.3), Reed (2.9), DeVoe (1.8)
Notable: Senior forward Donte Grantham was the team's second-leading scorer (14.2) and rebounder (6.9), but he tore his ACL on Saturday against Notre Dame and is out for the rest of the season, likely a big blow for the Tigers. No other player averages even four points. Reed averages 1.8 steals, and DeVoe gets 1.2 per game. Thomas blocks 2.5 shots per game.
Best win: It's a good question. The Tigers won at Ohio State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in early December, 79-65. The Buckeyes weren't ranked then but are now 18-4 and ranked No. 13. Clemson also owns a home win against then No. 18-Miami, 72-63, and then-No. 22 Florida, 71-69, on a neutral floor.
Worst win: vs. Texas Southern, 84-77. Those Tigers are 4-16.
Other wins: Western Carolina, North Carolina A&T, Ohio, Hofstra, UNC Asheville, Samford, South Carolina, Louisiana-Lafayette, N.C. State, Boston College, Louisville, Notre Dame
Best loss: at then-No. 15 North Carolina a week ago.
Worst loss: vs. Temple, 67-60, in Charleston, S.C., in November. The Owls are 10-9.
Other loss: at N.C. State
What Clemson does well: The Tigers do several things solidly this season. They shoot well -- 48 percent from the field (43rd in the nation), 37.3 percent from 3 (86th), and 75.7 percent from the line (44th) -- and score 77 ppg (tied-104th). They own a +3 rebounding margin (tied-97th) and also, like Virginia, play good defense without fouling, committing just 297 on the year (tied-18th). Clemson allows teams to shoot just 40.6 percent from the field (43rd) and permits just 65.2 ppg (34th). It also blocks 5.6 shots per game (18th).
What Clemson doesn't do well: The Tigers don't rank highly in assists per game at 13.8 (171st), and their turnover margin is just +.4 per game (173rd). Clemson commits 12.6 turnovers per game (tied-109th). And despite a solid defense, Clemson allows teams to shoot 34.3 percent on 3-pointers (160th).
Clemson plays a similar style as Virginia and these two have had some grind-it-out affairs over the years. The Tigers lost an amazing talent in Jaron Blossomgame off last season's team, but they are
actually much better this year. Coach Brad Brownell seems to have his best team since his first season at Clemson, 2010-11, when the Tigers reached the NCAA tournament, one a "First Four" game, and then lost in the round of 64 to West Virginia.
Unfortunately for Brownell and the Tigers, their high hopes took a hit when Grantham went out against Notre Dame with a torn ACL. In addition to being the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder, he shot 56 percent from the field, 41.9 percent on 3s, and 78 percent from the free throw line. He was a major presence, and it is going to be difficult for the Tigers to make up for the loss of him. But Brownell said that freshman Aamir Simms (9.8 minutes and 2.4 points per game) and junior David Skara (15.1 minutes and two points per game) will have to pick up some of the slack and get a chance for bigger roles. Simms played 14 minutes against Notre Dame and had five points, three rebounds, and a block. Skara played 17 minutes and recorded two points and two rebounds.
Three-point shooting can often be a great equalizer when an underdog is looking for the upset, and Clemson has a few good shooters other than Grantham. Reed is at 41.3 percent, DeVoe is at 36.9 percent, Skara is at 37.5 percent, and Mitchell is at 32.1 percent. Senior forward Mark Donnal is at 50 percent, but that is on just 20 attempts, and he only plays 12.4 minutes per game, though it is worth noting that he scored 13 points against N.C. State and then 12 vs. Miami in back-to-back games on Jan. 11 and 13.
Clemson is a rugged team, and I don't expect this to be an easy game. But it is at home, and the Tigers just lost one of their best players. It's hard to draw any other conclusion than to believe that the 'Hoos will prevail in this matchup as well, provided, as in the Wake Forest contest, no Clemson player lights it up.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 5-10 points.
It wasn't always pretty, but the Cavaliers managed to get by Wake Forest, 59-49, on Sunday. UVa got out to a 17-10 lead, but then fell behind 24-19 near the end of the first half and 30-25 early in the second half before catching the Demon Deacons and eventually pulling away. Kyle Guy led the team with 17 points and made 3 of his 6 3-pointers. De'Andre Hunter had another monster game off the
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| De'Andre Hunter tips in a missed shot. He continues to be a spark off the bench for the Cavaliers. |
Virginia committed 10 turnovers and looked a little sloppy overall, not surprising considering it was the Cavaliers' second consecutive ACC road opponent, and the atmosphere wasn't that charged. But like plenty of other games this season, the Wahoos were businesslike and got the job done, never seeming flustered and always making a shot when it was necessary.
Virginia returns home tonight where hopefully a little pep in the step returns. A ranked Clemson team is on the docket. Here's more on this year's Tigers:
Record: 16-3, 5-2 ACC
Scorers in double digits: Junior guard Marcquise Reed (16), junior guard Shelton Mitchell (12.3), senior guard Gabe DeVoe (11.7), junior forward Elijah Thomas (11.1)
Leading rebounders: Thomas (7.7), DeVoe (4.7), Reed (4.6)
Assist leaders: Mitchell (4.3), Reed (2.9), DeVoe (1.8)
Notable: Senior forward Donte Grantham was the team's second-leading scorer (14.2) and rebounder (6.9), but he tore his ACL on Saturday against Notre Dame and is out for the rest of the season, likely a big blow for the Tigers. No other player averages even four points. Reed averages 1.8 steals, and DeVoe gets 1.2 per game. Thomas blocks 2.5 shots per game.
Best win: It's a good question. The Tigers won at Ohio State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in early December, 79-65. The Buckeyes weren't ranked then but are now 18-4 and ranked No. 13. Clemson also owns a home win against then No. 18-Miami, 72-63, and then-No. 22 Florida, 71-69, on a neutral floor.
Worst win: vs. Texas Southern, 84-77. Those Tigers are 4-16.
Other wins: Western Carolina, North Carolina A&T, Ohio, Hofstra, UNC Asheville, Samford, South Carolina, Louisiana-Lafayette, N.C. State, Boston College, Louisville, Notre Dame
Best loss: at then-No. 15 North Carolina a week ago.
Worst loss: vs. Temple, 67-60, in Charleston, S.C., in November. The Owls are 10-9.
Other loss: at N.C. State
What Clemson does well: The Tigers do several things solidly this season. They shoot well -- 48 percent from the field (43rd in the nation), 37.3 percent from 3 (86th), and 75.7 percent from the line (44th) -- and score 77 ppg (tied-104th). They own a +3 rebounding margin (tied-97th) and also, like Virginia, play good defense without fouling, committing just 297 on the year (tied-18th). Clemson allows teams to shoot just 40.6 percent from the field (43rd) and permits just 65.2 ppg (34th). It also blocks 5.6 shots per game (18th).
What Clemson doesn't do well: The Tigers don't rank highly in assists per game at 13.8 (171st), and their turnover margin is just +.4 per game (173rd). Clemson commits 12.6 turnovers per game (tied-109th). And despite a solid defense, Clemson allows teams to shoot 34.3 percent on 3-pointers (160th).
Clemson plays a similar style as Virginia and these two have had some grind-it-out affairs over the years. The Tigers lost an amazing talent in Jaron Blossomgame off last season's team, but they are
Unfortunately for Brownell and the Tigers, their high hopes took a hit when Grantham went out against Notre Dame with a torn ACL. In addition to being the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder, he shot 56 percent from the field, 41.9 percent on 3s, and 78 percent from the free throw line. He was a major presence, and it is going to be difficult for the Tigers to make up for the loss of him. But Brownell said that freshman Aamir Simms (9.8 minutes and 2.4 points per game) and junior David Skara (15.1 minutes and two points per game) will have to pick up some of the slack and get a chance for bigger roles. Simms played 14 minutes against Notre Dame and had five points, three rebounds, and a block. Skara played 17 minutes and recorded two points and two rebounds.
Three-point shooting can often be a great equalizer when an underdog is looking for the upset, and Clemson has a few good shooters other than Grantham. Reed is at 41.3 percent, DeVoe is at 36.9 percent, Skara is at 37.5 percent, and Mitchell is at 32.1 percent. Senior forward Mark Donnal is at 50 percent, but that is on just 20 attempts, and he only plays 12.4 minutes per game, though it is worth noting that he scored 13 points against N.C. State and then 12 vs. Miami in back-to-back games on Jan. 11 and 13.
Clemson is a rugged team, and I don't expect this to be an easy game. But it is at home, and the Tigers just lost one of their best players. It's hard to draw any other conclusion than to believe that the 'Hoos will prevail in this matchup as well, provided, as in the Wake Forest contest, no Clemson player lights it up.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 5-10 points.
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