Clemson basketball looks to rebound after a tough loss.
The No. 21 Tigers (18-5, 10-2 ACC) will face No. 2 Duke (20-2, 12-0) on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Littlejohn Coliseum. They lost 89-86 to Georgia Tech in three overtimes on Tuesday to end their six-game win streak and fall two games behind first place in the ACC standings.
Clemson is 33rd in the NET rankings, which evaluates a team’s record and résumé and is used to evaluate March Madness teams. Clemson’s game vs. Duke will be a Quadrant 1 game, and the Tigers are 2-2 in these contests this season.
The Blue Devils are the hottest team in the nation, winning 16 straight games. They sit atop the ACC standings and are led by forward
, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Duke is No. 2 in the NET rankings (a Quad 1 game for the Blue Devils).
Here are three things to know and a score prediction for this ACC game:
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Will Clemson rebound better vs Duke after poor showing?
Clemson’s loss to Georgia Tech revealed its weaknesses. The top issue it must fix is rebounding.
The Yellow Jackets outrebounded the Tigers 56-46, including eight more offensive rebounds. Three Georgia Tech players recorded double-digit rebounds that helped it score 29 second-chance points, 16 more than Clemson.
“I’ve talked about how defensive rebounding has been a problem for us a little bit at times in the year,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Tuesday. “Ultimately, I’ve told the guys that it’s going to cost us a game, and it cost us a game.”
Clemson’s degree of difficulty will increase as Duke is the second-best rebounding team in the ACC, averaging 39, and is fifth in the conference in offense rebounds, averaging 11.1.
What to know about Duke basketball, Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel
Duke is winning by an average of 20 points during its 16-game win streak. Like previous Duke teams, it has multiple players who are projected to be selected in the NBA draft, including Flagg, guard Kon Knueppel and center Khaman Maluach.
Flagg is Duke’s top player, leading it in scoring (19.5 per game), rebounding (7.8), assists (4.1) and blocks (1.3). Knueppel (13.5 points) and guard Tyrese Proctor (11) both average double-digit scoring. Their efforts help Duke average 80.5 points, third in the ACC.
Defensively, the Blue Devils allow the fewest points in the ACC and the fifth fewest in the nation, 59.8. They are 5-2 in Quad 1 games this season and are 40-25 all-time against Clemson on the road.
Chase Hunter’s career stats vs Duke
For Clemson to pull off an upset Saturday, it needs guard Chase Hunter to deliver. He is averaging 17.7 points while shooting a career-best 48.6% from the field, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals. He has scored at least 20 points in four of his past five games.
In five career games vs. Duke, Hunter has averaged 10 points, shooting 40.4%, and 2.4 assists. His highest-scoring game against the Blue Devils is 13 on Feb. 10, 2022. In order for Clemson to win Saturday, it needs this year’s iteration of Hunter to show up.
Clemson vs Duke prediction, picks
Duke 78, Clemson 69: After an exhausting three-overtime game, the Tigers will drop their second straight game. Clemson’s rebounding issue will give the Blue Devils second-chance points, and it will have no answer for Flagg, whose size and athleticism is a matchup nightmare.
Clemson vs Duke odds
Game lines and odds for Clemson vs Duke:
- Spread: Clemson (+7.5)
- Over/under: 134.5
- Moneyline: Clemson (+240), Duke (-300)
Clemson vs Duke injury updates
- Clemson: Freshman guard Del Jones missed Tuesday’s game because of an ankle injury. Freshman guard Ace Buckner and freshman forward Dallas Thomas are redshirting.
- Duke: Reserve forward Mason Gillis missed Wednesday’s game because of an illness.
How to watch Clemson vs Duke: Time, TV channel, live stream
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
Clemson basketball vs. Duke will broadcast on ESPN. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
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