No. 20 Clemson headed to San Diego for NCAA Tournament

Thomas has played physical this season

by CU Athletic Communications - Wed Mar 14 09:18:05 GMT-04:00 2018

It's almost time for dancing.

Clemson returns to action in the NCAA Basketball Tournament for the first time since 2011. The matchup between the Tigers and the Aggies will be the first meeting ever between the two schools.

GAMEDAY SETUP

No. 20/18 CLEMSON (23-9, 11-7 ACC) vs. NEW MEXICO STATE (28-5, 12-2 WAC)

Date: Friday, March 16

Tipoff: 9:57 p.m. ET

Arena: Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (12,414)

Radio: CTN (Don Munson-pbp; Tim Bourret-color)

TV: TruTV (Carter Blackburn-pbp; Deb Antonelli-color; Sideline-John Schriffen)

• Clemson and New Mexico State have never met in program history.

• This marks the second trip to the NCAA Tournament for Clemson under head coach Brad Brownell. The Tigers went in 2011.

• A No. 5 seed is the highest for the Tigers since they were also the fifth seed in 2008. A 75-69 loss to Villanova in Tampa, Fla.

• Marcquise Reed, Mark Donnal and David Skara are the lone Tigers with NCAA Tournament experience. Reed played 2 games in 2015 Tournament during his freshman season with Robert Morris. Skara played one game in 2015.

• This marks Donnal’s third NCAA Tournament trip after making two with Michigan (Five games played). Reached Sweet 16 in 2017.

SERIES HISTORY

CU Series W-L record: FIRST MEETING

Streak: FIRST MEETING

TIGER TRACKS

• Head coach Brad Brownell has taken three schools to the NCAA Tournament, including twice during his tenure at Clemson (2011; 2018). It marks his fifth trip to the tournament.

• He took each of his schools to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. (UNC Wilmington, 2003; Wright State, 2007; Clemson, 2011).

• When coach Brownell took Clemson to the tournament in 2011 it was the first time that a head coach at Clemson took a Tiger team in his first year.

• The Tigers’ last victory in the NCAA Tournament came in the First Four game in 2011 – a 70-52 win over UAB (Alabama-Birmingham).

• Marcquise Reed (two games) and Mark Donnal (five games) and David Skara (one game) are the lone Tigers that have NCAA Tournament experience.

• Donnal has averaged 3.0 points per contest in five games, while Reed posted 20.5 points in two games, including 22 against Duke in the second round in 2015. Skara scored two points in one game in 2015.

• Reed is the first Clemson player to have at least 500 points, 100 rebounds, 100 assists and 50 steals in the same season since Billy Williams in 1979-80.

?? Practice

Ready to ?? to GSP then ?? to San Diego!#MarchMadness #ClemsonGRIT pic.twitter.com/b17RvVhsWU
— Clemson Men's Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) March 14, 2018

S/o to @Nike for the team shirts for the NCAA Tournament!#ClemsonGRIT??#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/hGUCBoCneT
— Clemson Men's Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) March 14, 2018