Three Clemson players to watch in the Tigers’ ACC home game against No. 9 Duke
Having only won two of its last five games, Clemson’s postseason hopes are in jeopardy.
There are only eight games left in the Tigers’ regular season, and though none will be a cake walk, the Tigers (12-11, 4-8 ACC) have to find a way to string together wins. Currently 11th in the conference standings, a victory over Duke at 8 p.m. Thursday at Littlejohn Coliseum after losing back-to-back games would not only give Clemson a quality win but also a morale boost.
The Tigers came close to pulling off an upset victory over the ninth-ranked Blue Devils on Jan. 25 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but fell short. The same can be said for the most recent two losses to Georgia Tech on Saturday and North Carolina on Tuesday, both of which came by single digits and went down to the wire.
Heading into Thursday’s contest against Duke, here are three Clemson players to watch:
David Collins, Guard
The last time the two teams played, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was complimentary of how disruptive Clemson’s guards were, and Collins played an integral role in that process.
The grad transfer had two steals with six of his nine rebounds coming on the defensive end of the floor. He’s been a consistent force on the defensive end for the Tigers all season and leads the team in steals with 36.
Ian Schieffelin, Forward
More is being asked of Schieffelin down the stretch, especially with Hunter Tyson out and Naz Bohannon starting. There’s still a learning curve, but head coach Brad Brownell has seen enough from the freshman to up his playing time. Schieffelin has averaged 13.3 minutes over the past three games after having only played 10 or more minutes twice this year. The freshman stepped up in production by notching a career-high 12 points in Tuesday’s loss to North Carolina.
PJ Hall, Center
Despite having a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds against Duke during the last meeting, Hall had his worst shooting performance of the season, netting 28.6% of his field goals. Since then, the sophomore has shot 50% or better and averaged 19 points, including Tuesday’s 24-point performance against the Tar Heels.
Hall is still playing on an injured left foot, which he says hasn’t bothered him much during the game. The physicality Duke brings, however, could present a problem when it comes to posting up and positioning for rebounds.
Next Clemson men’s basketball game
Who: Clemson vs. No. 9 Duke
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson
Watch: ACC Network
