NC State Opens The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament With Clemson

On Wednesday afternoon NC State who is an eighth seed and Clemson who is a ninth seed will open up the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in the second round in Charlotte North Carolina.

During their only meeting during the regular season on January 26th NC State topped Clemson.

His lone three-pointer of the game was the only one needed, as Braxton Beverly hit the game-winning shot as time expired and led the No. 21 Wolfpack past Clemson 69-67 Saturday at PNC Arena. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
The Pack (16-4, 4-3 ACC) was within a possession at 67-64 and called a timeout with 9.7 left. Clemson (11-8, 1-5) fouled right away, not allowing a tying attempt. Beverly hit both free throws, as the Pack got within one with 7.5 left. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
The Pack then put Clemson's Marcquise Reed on the line, and he missed both of his attempts. C.J. Bryce corralled the rebound and found Braxton for the winning shot as the horn sounded.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
Before the final basket, the Pack had not held the lead since 8:58 to go in the second half. In the final stretch, the Tigers largest lead was at six points with 24 seconds left, but NC State scored the final eight points of the game and the Tigers missed their final four free throws.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
Guard Markell Johnson returned from a three-game absence and led the Pack with 16 points. Bryce finished with 15 points, and is averaging 17.5 points over the last four games. Beverly had 12 on the day. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
The game was sloppy at the start, as the two teams combined to shoot just 4-of-15 at the first media timeout, and combined for just eight total points in the first 4:21. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
The Tigers then hit six of their next seven shots and took a slight 16-15 lead at the midway point of the first half. But the Pack took its first lead since 2-0 at 17-16 at the 9:34 mark, and held the Tigers without a field goal for 8:14, pushing the lead to 25-19.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
NC State found itself up 30-24 at the break. The Pack forced the Tigers into nine first half turnovers, and Clemson had only one field goal over the final 11:08 of the half. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
The Pack kept the lead through the first half of the second half, until Clemson used a 12-0 run and took a 53-49 lead with 5:44 left.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
During the stretch, the Pack was held without a point for 5:59, missing six straight shots, and a pair of Beverly free throws made the score 53-51 with 4:45 left. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
The Pack got to within one at 58-57 with 3:27 left after back-to-back Johnson three-pointers. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
An old-fashioned three-point play by Reed put the Tigers back up four, but Torin Dorn got the score back to within one with 2:25 left.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx
 
Back-to-back Clemson field goals saw the Tigers go up 65-60 with 51.1 seconds to play, and up by six with both 35 and 24 seconds remaining.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/1/26/mens-basketball-beverly-three-pointer-at-buzzer-leads-to-comeback-win.aspx

NC State comes into the tournament with a record of 21-10 while they finished with a record of 9-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season while Clemson comes into the ACC Tournament with a record of 19-12 and like NC State Clemson finished the regular season with a record of 9-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

As for how NC State concluded the regular season, They won at Boston College.

The NC State men's basketball team broke open the game with a 19-2 run in the first half and never looked back in defeating Boston College, 73-47, Saturday afternoon at the Conte Forum. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx

With the win, NC State improves to 21-10, 9-9 in the ACC, and will be the No. 8 seed in next week's ACC Tournament. The Pack will face No. 9 seed Clemson Wednesday at noon. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx

Boston College led 13-12, 8 minutes into the game, but the Pack responded with a 19-2 run to effectively put the game away. Boston College would never get closer than 14 points the rest of the game. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
Jericole Hellems started the run with a three-pointer. Wyatt Walker extended the run with a short jumper off a feed from C.J. Bryce and Bryce made a jump shot on the next possession to forced Boston College into calling a timeout with the score 19-13 in favor of NC State. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
Out of the timeout, Walker scored on a putback and Braxton Beverly nailed a three-pointer to push the run to 12-0 and give the Pack a 24-13 advantage. The Eagles slowed the run with a basket, but Bryce scored the next five points of the game and Torin Dorn added another second chance bucket to push the lead to 31-15 with 5:16 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
The Pack pushed the lead out to 20 in the opening half and eventually went into the locker room with a 41-24 advantage. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
Boston College could never get closer than 15 points in the second half as the Pack extended its lead to as large as 28 points. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
NC State finished the game holding BC to just 26.7 percent shooting. It's the lowest opponent field goal percentage in the Kevin Keatts era.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
The 26-point win is also the largest victory margin for NC State in an ACC road game since beating Wake Forest, 76-40, on Jan. 14, 2012. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
All nine NC State players scored. Bryce finished with a team-high 14 points, while Dorn added 12 points and eight rebounds. Devon Daniels chipped in 10 points. DJ Funderburk finished with a team-best nine rebounds.”according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
Johnson finished with six points and six assists. He now has 377 for his career and has moved into 10th place on the NC State career assist list. “according https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx
 
NC State dominated the boards as the Pack finished the game with a 56-36 advantage in rebounding. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/3/9/mens-basketball-pack-cruises-past-boston-college-73-47.aspx

Like NC State, Clemson closed out the regular season with a win as they defeated Syracuse.

Marcquise Reed and Elijah Thomas both posted double-doubles in Clemson University men’s basketball’s 67-55 victory over Syracuse on the day the program, fans and University honored the team’s senior class. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

The Tigers (19-12, 9-9 ACC) were paced offensively by Reed’s 24 points – 20 of which came in the second half. Reed tallied his sixth career double-double with 10 rebounds in the contest and also tied his career-best with five steals on the defensive end of the floor. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

Thomas achieved his 20th career double-double with a 13-point, 11-rebound effort against the Orange (19-12, 10-8 ACC). Thomas also swatted three shots around the rim and came away with two steals. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

Clemson went scoreless for the opening 5:14 of the game until Thomas connected on a layup inside the Syracuse zone defense. The Tigers got down by as many as 10 in the opening stanza with Syracuse holding a 23-13 advantage with 6:48 remaining in the half. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

The Tigers closed to within seven at the break and trailed 31-24. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

With 15:53 left in regulation and the Orange clutching to a five-point advantage at 38-33, the Tigers engineered a 14-0 run to jumped in front and lead by six with 10:32 left. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

With a 40-38 advantage in the game, Clemson’s four senior starters scored the last 27 points of the contest over the last nearly 14 minutes of the game to help seal the double-digit victory on Senior Day. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

The 10-point deficit overcome for victory was the largest by the Tigers during the 2018-19 season. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

Shelton Mitchell reached double-figures with 10 points and four assists, while also contributing two steals. Aamir Simms finished with eight points, seven rebounds and a career-high five assists. David Skara totaled five points, three rebounds and one assist and block.”according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

The Tigers outrebounded the Orange 45-30, including 18-6 on the offensive glass. Clemson assisted on 13-of-19 made field goals. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/clemson-closes-regular-season-senior-day-with-win-over-syracuse/

Tip-off is set for 12:00pm from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. The game will be televised on ESPN and Raycom Sports.