Clemson moves up seed in latest ESPN Bracketology

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - 2018-01-11 12:52:08.0

Clemson ranks in the top-5 in the RPI rankings.

The No. 17 Clemson men’s basketball team moved up a seed-line in ESPN’s latest NCAA Tournament projections Thursday.

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi pegs the Tigers as the No. 4 seed in the West and headed to Boise. A four-seed would tie for the highest in school history.

Clemson (14-1, 3-0 ACC) heads into a Thursday night matchup at NC State (9 p.m./ESPN) with the No. 5-rated RPI ranking. That ranking is bolstered by a No. 9 non-conference RPI and a 5-1 mark in road/neutral games.

The Tigers topped NC State 78-62 to open ACC play at home on Dec. 30.

Clemson is seeking its first win in Raleigh since 2015, but can notch two wins over the Wolfpack in a season for a second-straight year, after a home and an ACC Tourney victory over NC State last year.

Brad Brownell’s Tigers are seeking an 11th-straight win, which are already on the longest streak since starting the 2008-09 season 16-0. Clemson looks to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

The Tigers can match No. 3 Virginia (15-1) at the top of the ACC standings with a 4-0 conference start tonight. Virginia is projected as a No. 1 seed by ESPN.