Tigers Welcome Second Straight West Coast Opponent

Chase Hunter scored 22 points last game vs Stanford, on January 1, 2025. (Photo: Charles Mays)

The Tigers will welcome the California Golden Bears into Littlejohn on Saturday. The Golden Bears are currently 7-6 (0-2) and ranked 123 in the NET, making this a Quad 3 opportunity for the Tigers. California is coming off a disappointing season just like the Stanford Cardinal, going 13-19 last season in the Pac-12. They are led by former Stanford Cardinal Guard Andrej Stojakovic. Stojakovic has a 6’7" frame that has allowed him to score 19.1 points/g with 4.8 rebounds/g. He has improved his shot behind the arc to 35% this season, and it will be a back-to-back tough defensive challenge for the Tigers after guarding Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud. Behind Stojakovic, the Bears added long-time college player Jovan Blacksher Jr. in the portal, who has been very productive throughout his entire career. This season he has averaged 13 points/g with a 40%+ percentage from behind the arc, but he has had a turnover problem that the Tigers will attempt to exploit. The final player in the California backcourt also takes a ton of 3’s, Freshman Guard Jeremiah Wilkinson. Wilkinson has averaged almost 12 points/g, taking over 4-5 3’s per game on 35%. However, Wilkinson has struggled to fill up the other stats on the stat sheet, not averaging over 2 in any other category. Leading the Golden Bears in rebounds is the 6’9" Senior Center, Mady Sissoko. He has averaged just 6.8 rebounds/g, and Ian Schieffelin is licking his chops at the opportunity to fill up his rebound category in this match-up. This group of players for California has struggled against Power Conference opponents, going 1-3 in those contests, including a loss to Stanford. If the Tigers are able to start this new year off right earlier in the week, it is hard to see our talented Clemson roster fall to this California team. Expect the Clemson defense to suffocate the Golden Bears with a main focus on defending the three-point line. The three-point line is California's way to victory on Saturday, but expect the Tigers ready to guard.

Jaeden Zackery comes up with at steal versus Stanford, on January 1, 2025. (Photo By: Charles Mays)

Clemson is coming into this contest red hot after an offensive outbreak against the Stanford Cardinal to open the New Year. The Tigers put up 85 points, which is the second-highest point total they have put up against Power Conference opponents, and the highest point total they have put together in regulation. Star Guard Chase Hunter has been on a tear, leading the Tigers in scoring in all three of the last three games, averaging 21.7 points/g over that stretch. In all three of those contests, Hunter has shot at least 50% from behind the arc, bringing his season percentage to 42.5%. His improved ability to score from all areas of the court has transcended the Clemson offense, and Chase Hunter is not wasting his extra college season with his improved consistent production. Clemson’s other star, Ian Schieffelin, has been quieter than usual these past couple of games as he has been outrebounded by fellow big man Viktor Lakhin 3 out of the last 4 games. Schieffelin finished the game against the Cardinal with just 4 points and 4 rebounds as he struggled against their 7'1" Center. Schieffelin may just be having a little rough patch, but he will play a vital role in Clemson’s success in ACC play. Despite the star players for the Tigers, their defense has been one of the main reasons for their success so far this season. Clemson has held a majority of their opponents under their season averages in scoring, and they do not plan on slowing down. The Tigers' improved on-ball defense has been a major reason for this improved success. Against the Cardinal, Clemson stole the ball 16 total times, with 10 of those coming by Jaeden Zackery and Dillon Hunter. Zackery is the current active leader in steals in the ACC because of his four-year career and because of his great on-ball pressure. This season, Zackery is second in the ACC in steals with 33, and he does not plan to slow down. Dillon Hunter has showcased terrific improvement on the offensive side of the ball, but his energy and defensive prowess off the bench has been the key contributor to the Tigers’ success. Hunter already has 16 steals on the season, which marks his career high for a season in just 13 games (missed EKU game). It is obvious that Zackery has shared some of his tricks, and their consistent great defense will take the Tigers a long way this season. Expect Clemson’s defense to continue on its current trend, leading to a big 81-64 home win over the California Golden Bears.