The Clemson men’s basketball team tips off the 2019-’20 season today at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson when it hosts ACC foe Virginia Tech.
This marks the first time since 1966 the Tigers will open the regular season against an ACC opponent. Tonight’s game is also the beginning of head coach Brad Brownell’s 10th year at Clemson.
Game Information
Where: Littlejohn, Clemson
Records: Clemson 0-0, 0-0 ACC; Virginia Tech 0-0, 0-0 ACC
When: Today, 7 p.m.
TV: ESPNU (Roy Philpott and Paul Biancardi)
Radio: Clemson Tigers Network (Don Munson and Tim Bourret). Sirius 81, XM 81, Internet 81
Series History
- OVERALL: Clemson trails series, 16-19
- HOME: Clemson leads series, 10-6
- ROAD: Clemson trails series, 6-12
- NEUTRAL: Clemson trails series, 0-1
- LAST MEETING: Feb. 9, 2019 (59-51, W)
- STREAK: Clemson, Won 1
Story lines
The ACC is opening up conference play a little earlier due to the fact it went to a 20-game conference schedule this season.
Clemson, of course, welcomes four new starters to the lineup, a group Brownell was not ready to unveil on Monday. The Tigers have to replace All-ACC guard Marcquise Reed, All-ACC Defensive player Elijah Thomas, guard Shelton Mitchell and forward David Skara. The lone Tiger returning is forward Aamir Simms.
The good news for Clemson is it has already played six games. This past summer the Tigers traveled to Italy to play in the World University Games representing the United States. They went 6-0 in the tournament and were just the second American team to win the gold medal since 2005.
Virginia Tech has a new head coach in Mike Young, who came to Blacksburg from Spartanburg where he was the head coach at Wofford. The Hokies will also have a brand-new lineup and a different style of play than what Buzz Williams ran the last few years.
Clemson received a major boost in its lineup last week with the NCAA granting Khavon Moore’s transfer request waiver, allowing Moore to become immediately eligible for the 2019-20 season. Moore is a transfer from Texas Tech and played just two minutes last season.
Clemson has won 34-straight games to open a season, which dates back to the 1985-86 season. Brownell is 9-0 in season openers at Clemson.
Brownell will look to become Clemson’s all-time wins leader this season. He needs just eight victories to tie and nine to pass Cliff Ellis for the all-time leader at Clemson. He has 157 career wins at Clemson.
The 3-point line will be extended by approximately 1 foot, 8 inches to the same distance used by FIBA for international competition (22 feet, 1.75 inches). The previous 3-point line was moved back prior to the 2008-09 season (20 feet, 9 inches).
Clemson has finished in the top 15 of adjusted defensive efficiency each of the last two seasons. The Tigers are one of just six total programs to claim that accomplishment over the last two years.
—Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story
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