Joe Lunardi bracketology: Clemson would face tough NCAA Tournament draw in new projections

Joe Lunardi updates Clemson’s NCAA Tournament hopes.

The Clemson Tigers have started 3-0 in ACC play and are 11-3 overall as they head into the first weekend of 2025.

Behind a game-high 22 points from Chase Hunter, the Tigers defeated Stanford, 85-71, on Wednesday to open the new year. Brad Brownell’s team will welcome the California Golden Bears to Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday.

The Tigers’ strong start to the season, which saw them ranked No. 16 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll last month, hasn’t gone unnoticed by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.

In Lunardi’s updated NCAA Tournament forecast entering 2025, he has Clemson as a No. 8 seed. If March Madness were to begin today, Lunardi has the Tigers facing No. 9 seed Ohio State in the first round of the South Regional at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The veteran ESPN analyst has Clemson in the same bracket as his projected No. 1 overall seed in the tournament: the Auburn Tigers. If Lunardi’s projections were to hold true, Clemson would meet Auburn (11-1) in the tournament’s second round in Atlanta. Auburn is ranked No. 2 in both the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

RELATED: Clemson learns final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll ranking entering 2025

Lunardi currently awards five NCAA Tournament bids to the ACC. The Duke Blue Devils are Lunardi’s projected No. 3 overall seed. Aside from Clemson, North Carolina, Pitt and SMU were the only other ACC teams projected to reach the 68-team field.

The Tigers will aim for their third straight win Saturday when they face Cal (7-6). Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at Littlejohn Coliseum. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

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