Prior to the game against Clemson, we sat down with Ryan Kantor from Shakin The Southland to get his perspective on the matchup.
FTRS: Despite being picked 4th in the ACC preseason poll, I had my doubts about Clemson this year after losing PJ Hall and Joe Girard. Obviously, I have been massively proven wrong. How did this year’s team fill those gaps so seamlessly?
Ryan: Coach Brownell hasn’t recruited a lot of instant-impact freshmen phenoms, but he develops high school talent very well and isn’t shy about filling gaps through the transfer portal. Returning players improving and new portal additions are the reason they haven’t missed a beat from last season and currently are 10-1 in the ACC.
Chase Hunter, Dillon Hunter, and Chauncey Wiggins have all improved a great deal from a year ago. All three have become dramatically better 3-pointer shooters. Chase Hunter’s 3P% went from .311 to .448. Not only does that mean more made 3s, but it makes him more dangerous off the dribble as defenders can no longer play off and dare him to shoot. Wiggins’ 3P% went from .349 to .408 and Dillon Hunter’s from .257 to .302. Additionally, Wiggins looks better defensively and Dillon — who was already great defensively — looks superb in perimeter defense.
Then of course there were four portal additions. Two are bench pieces but starting center Viktor Lakhin and starting point guard Jaeden Zackery have been critical. While they don’t bring what Hall and Girard delivery offensively, they are defensive upgrades who also contribute offensively.
FTRS: What are fan’s expectations at the moment for the rest of the season? After the Elite Eight last year, would anything less than that be considered a disappointment or do fans understand how difficult that is to do and how special that run was?
Ryan: Clemson football fans are endlessly optimistic. They expect playoff runs before every season and scoff if I suggest the team may go 10-2. Conversely, Clemson basketball fans have been beaten down by years of embarrassment like home NIT losses to Oakland and Morehead State, the 59-game losing streak in Chapel Hill, and never winning an ACC Tournament. It doesn’t help that the first seven years of Brownell’s now 15-year tenure were mediocre to bad.
Over the last seven and a half years, the team has won in Chapel Hill twice, made Sweet 16 and Elite 8 runs, and added another NCAA appearance (a 7-10 upset loss to Rutgers). Those fans who are all-in for this basketball program are the best, but a lot are still beaten and broken. Nobody is “expecting” another Elite 8 run. Another NCAA tournament appearance with at least one win will be widely considered a success and continue to heal the 104 years’ worth of wounds.
FTRS: Is Chase Hunter or Ian Schieffelin the most important player for this Clemson team?
Ryan: Chase Hunter is Clemson’s best player. He leads the team in scoring and is the guy they want with the ball in crunch time. He led the team with 20-points in last weekend’s win at NC State. When things were dicey in the final four minutes, Chase went on a scoring binge to end NC State’s comeback hopes. He is the superstar 6th-year senior. With all that being said, he was out with the flu for the team’s game at VT (he played limited minutes and scored 2 points) and they still won by 15.
Ian Schieffelin is averaging 12.4 points and 9.5 rebounds despite struggling through calf and back injuries at times. He doesn’t seem to be a focal point of the offense, but before you know it, he is in double-digits. He leads the team in 2-point field goal attempts in large part because he creates his own looks off offensive rebounds or creates a post-up opportunity after catching the ball 15 feet away from the basket. He is second on the team in assists at 3.2 per game (barely behind Zackery at 3.3). He’s a critical player, but as with Chase, a few games ago against FSU, he scored 2-points and the Tigers won.
My point is they’re both great, but this team is remarkably well-rounded. They don’t rely on a single player as much as they did for parts of last season with PJ Hall. If there’s one guy who is really the X-factor it is Chauncey Wiggins. Clemson is 11-0 when he scores in double-digits. They’re just 7-4 when he held under 10 points.
FTRS: What did teams do well in their wins against Clemson? In other words, where is Clemson most vulnerable?
Ryan: I looked over the statistics from the losses and there isn’t really an obvious theme. Memphis shot a blistering .480 from 3 including some crazy NBA daggers to send it to OT and win. Boise State was even better, shooting .581 from 3. Their other losses didn’t include crazy 3-point shooting though. Louisville attacked the basket and attempted 15 more free throws than Clemson. South Carolina had 7 more rebounds including some clutch offensive boards.
In the first matchup against Clemson, I didn’t think Georgia Tech played well. They committed 14 turnovers and shot .350 from 3. Those numbers don’t sound awful, but they are skewed by some strong play by the Yellow Jackets during garbage time. Clemson’s offense was in a malaise early and Georgia Tech couldn’t make open shots. Nobody made multiple 3-pointers except Naithan George. If he gets some help with better outside shooting, Georgia Tech has a path to victory.
FTRS: What’s your prediction for the game? Do you think there’s any chance Clemson is looking ahead to the Duke game on Saturday?
Ryan: I am very worried that this is a trap game. They already beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta and are riding a six-game ACC win streak. They’re probably feeling pretty good about themselves and there’s buzz about Saturday’s home game against Duke. If they dispatch the Yellow Jackets and then beat Duke, they are in first place in the ACC.
I’ve complimented this team a lot for their maturity. They absorb opponents’ big runs and instead of collapsing they respond and retake control of the game. This was especially notable at Pittsburgh when they blew a 14-point lead and trailed late but forced overtime and won. Winning this game would be the mark of a mature team that maintains focus and doesn’t look ahead. Clemson is the better 3-point shooting team. They have the best individual player (Chase Hunter). They have the best post-player (Ian Schieffelin). They have the older team. They are at home. They absolutely should win this game and KenPom gives them a 90% chance to win it, but I can’t be quite that confident.
I was extremely high on Georgia Tech entering the season and am scared they’re hitting their stride just as Clemson could be looking past them. I’ll take Clemson to win, but this one is scary.