The totality of Clemson’s latest basketball season will be revealed over the next four months or so.
But the Tigers began an important one under their veteran coach in the win column, though getting there wasn’t always comfortable.
Clemson opened the new season Monday by knocking off The Citadel at Littlejohn Coliseum. Even without the services of star big PJ Hall (knee), the Tigers still had four players score in double figures in their 80-69 win. Chase Hunter led the way with 23 points, tying a career high.
Ian Schieffelin had the first 20-point game of his Clemson career as part of a double-double. Hunter Tyson and Boston College transfer Brevin Galloway added 19 and 11 points, respectively, for the Tigers.
A recent exhibition romp over an overmatched Division II program not withstanding, Monday marked the Tigers’ competitive return to the court after a disappointing 17-16 season plagued by injuries and inconsistency. Clemson wasn’t part of college basketball’s postseason in any capacity last season, the first time that’s happened since 2017.
The Tigers went to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 – their second appearance in the last three tournaments – but Clemson’s showing last season, which included a 10th-place finish in the 15-team ACC, prompted Graham Neff to publicly express his disappointment of the Tigers failing to dance for the ninth time in Brad Brownell’s 12-year tenure. Clemson’s first-year athletic director made clear his expectations for the program in a letter penned to season-ticket holders.
Preseason projections weren’t high on the Tigers this season either as Clemson was picked by league media to finish 11th in the conference. But with five newcomers, including Boston College guard transfer Brevin Galloway, joining seven holdovers from last season’s team, Brownell touted the Tigers’ depth and versatility coming into it.
A Citadel team that lost all of its double-figure scorers off a 13-18 squad last season wasn’t the most accurate barometer when it comes to the chemistry and cohesion of Clemson’s retooled roster, though the Bulldogs didn’t go quietly. Behind Austin Ash’s 19, The Citadel cut the deficit to single digits a handful of times in the second half, the last coming at 78-69 with less than 2 minutes remaining. But Chase Hunter found Schieffelin for a dunk on Clemson’s next possession, and the Bulldogs didn’t get any closer.
The lineup tinkering for Clemson started early with nine players getting some run within the first 6 minutes and change, but it was a familiar face that helped the Tigers overcome a sluggish start for some early breathing room.
The Citadel led by a couple of possessions 13 minutes into the game before the Tigers ended the first half on a 23-5 run. Chase Hunter made seven of his first 10 shots to finish with 19 first-half points. The junior point guard had 11 points during that surge, including his third 3-pointer just before the buzzer to send the Tigers to the locker room with a 45-31 advantage.
Middlebrooks got the start at center in the absence of Hall, one of the most improved players in the ACC last season at 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. But Schieffelin ended up logging the most minutes at the position (31) and was highly productive with them. The sophomore forward, who also plucked 14 rebounds, went inside and out to make his first six shots en route to a career night, easily surpassing his previous career-high of 12 points that he scored against North Carolina in February.
What figures to be a much better gauge of where this Clemson team is early in the season comes Friday when the Tigers hit the road for the first time to take on rival South Carolina.
This story will be updated.