Clemson Heads to NC State Seeking Sixth Straight Win

Chase Hunter dribbles up court Saturday, January 25, 2025, in a 72-57 Clemson win at Virginia Tech. Photo By: Charles Mays - Tiger View Media

The Tigers will play for the first time since January 25 against a struggling NC State team. The Wolfpack are currently 9-11 overall and 2-7 within ACC play, which has them in 16th place in the ACC and has effectively eliminated them from the NCAA tournament. NC State has lost five games in a row, with their last win coming against Notre Dame on January 8 with a score of 66-65. The Wolfpack are coming off an ACC tournament championship and their first Final Four appearance since 1983, when they won the national championship. But this NC State team is nowhere near the same as last year. They lost star players DJ Burns, who averaged 12.6 points and 4.2 rebounds, Casey Morsell, who averaged 11.1 points, and DJ Horne, who averaged 16.9 points and 1.3 steals. The Wolfpack's Head Coach, Kevin Keatts, has been with the team since 2017 and has accumulated a record of 148-104 during his time in Raleigh. Keatts has made the tournament three times in his eight seasons, but before last year's miracle run to the Final Four, he had been unable to win a single tournament game. If NC State wants to make the tournament again this year, it will take another miracle run from the Wolfpack. Although NC State has struggled mightily this season, there have been a few bright spots on the team. Senior Guard Marcus Hill from Rockford, Illinois, has a team-high 12.8 points per game and 4 rebounds on 48.1% shooting. Hill's partner at the guard position, Jayden Taylor, has also had a successful season for the Wolfpack. Taylor averages 12.5 points per game, along with 1.4 steals on 43.2% shooting. NC State will have to rely heavily on their two guards if they want to leave Lenovo Center with a win on Saturday.

The Tigers are going into Raleigh scorching hot, winners of their last five games and coming off a 15-point win against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Clemson is 17-4 overall on the season and 9-1 in ACC play, tied for 2nd in the ACC with Louisville. In their previous game against Virginia Tech, the Tigers played terrific defense, holding the Hokies to just 57 points on 38% shooting. Due to Chase Hunter's absence in that game, Chauncey Wiggins led the way with 16 points and 5 rebounds, while Freshman Del Jones had the best game of his short career with 13 points and 5 rebounds, making 5 of his 7 shots from the field. Brad Brownell's star player, Chase Hunter, will play Saturday afternoon, which is a massive boost for a Tiger team seeking their sixth straight win. As always, the focal point of the Clemson offense will come from Chase Hunter. Hunter has been one of the best players in the ACC this season and is a favorite to be on the All-ACC 1st team at the end of the season. His 45% shooting from behind the arc is the eighth-highest in all of college basketball and the highest within the ACC. After Chauncey Wiggins' big game against the Hokies, look for him to get going early to keep his confidence up. The Junior from Grayson, Georgia, averages 9.3 points per game and 3 rebounds on 48.1% shooting from the field and 40.5% from downtown. Another player to look out for in Saturday's matinee is Ian Schieffelin. Despite many fans criticizing the Senior's play so far, Schieffelin is quietly having a terrific season for the Tigers. Schieffelin averages 12.6 points per game, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 47.1% shooting. The forward from Atlanta, Georgia, has been fighting back spasms and calf tightness all season long but has still been able to produce for the Tigers when it matters most. If Brad Brownell and the Clemson Tigers want to leave Raleigh with their sixth straight win, they will need Hunter, Wiggins, and Schieffelin to produce. Game time is set for 1:30 PM on Saturday, February 1, at Lenovo Center and available to watch on The CW Network.