PRESSURE ON BRAD BROWNELL …
Clemson University’s mens basketball team will participate in the 2017 MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic this December.
The Tigers’ draw? The University of Florida – which advanced to the Elite Eight in this year’s NCAA tournament before getting bounced by South Carolina. In the other game, Florida State of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) – which advanced to the NCAA’s round of thirty-two – will play Oklahoma State of the Big 12, which narrowly lost to Michigan in the first round of the “Big Dance” this year.
Clemson is entering its eighth season under head coach Brad Brownell, who somehow managed to keep his job despite his team posting a 17-16 mark and missing the NCAA tournament for the sixth consecutive season.
Brownell’s team simply couldn’t win the close ones. Eight of the Tigers’ 12 ACC losses were by six points or less, including three one-point losses, a two-point loss (on the road against Duke) and a three-point loss in overtime at home against North Carolina.
The Orange Bowl Classic will be held on December 16 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. Tipoff times will be announced later.
This is Clemson’s first-ever appearance in this early-season tourney. The Tigers will enter the 2017-2018 season without leading scorer Jaron Blossomgame and without offensive floor leader Avry Holmes.
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