Clemson Tigers Men’s Basketball Team ‘Should Be In’ NCAA Tournament Field

The Clemson Tigers have been handling business in recent weeks as they work through their conference schedule.

Since a bump in the road at the end of their non-conference schedule, which include heartbreaking loss to the Memphis Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks, the team has been playing at an incredibly high level.

Clemson has won nine out of 10 games since that two-game losing streak, with their only loss coming on the road against the Louisville Cardinals.

With an 18-4 overall record and 10-1 mark in the ACC, they certainly have the look of an NCAA Tournament team based on their resume. Over at the NET Rankings, they come in at No. 30.

Based on most metrics, Brad Brownell’s group is a virtual lock to make the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. But, ESPN’s BPI, as shared by Neil Paine, believes they still have a little bit of work.

The Tigers are currently in the “Should Be In” tier of the ACC with an 89% chance. They just missed out on the “Lock” tier, which includes only programs that have a 95% chance or better of qualifying.

“The Tigers would be a bona fide "Lock" if we were sorting off of forecast models aside from the BPI. As it is, Clemson's close at 89% -- and its 10-4 record against the BPI top 100 and 73rd-ranked remaining SOS ought to carry the Tigers back to the tourney after last year's Elite Eight run,” Paine wrote.

Clemson will have a chance to cement their status as an NCAA Tournament team this weekend when they host the No. 2 ranked Duke Blue Devils at Littlejohn Coliseum.

It is another chance for them to add a signature win to their resume, as their victory over the Kentucky Wildcats is the only Top 25 opponent they have played thus far and they picked up an impressive victory there.

The Blue Devils are the cream of the crop in what is a down year for the ACC, as they are currently the only team from the conference ranked in the AP Top 25; the Tigers just missed, falling two points short of the Ole Miss Rebels for No. 25 after Louisville dropped out following a loss to the unranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Even if Clemson cannot pull off that upset, they are trending in the right direction to make the NCAA Tournament field in consecutive years for the first time since 2008-2011.

As long as they can avoid an extended winning streak and continue to handle business, they are putting themselves in position to be on the fifth or sixth seed line.

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