Clemson, ACC basketball update in new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll – The Gardner News

Clemson basketball wrapped up nonconference play Sunday in Greenville with a 68-65 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Tigers closed the nonconference portion of their schedule with a 10-3 record. Clemson nearly threw away what looked like an easy victory Sunday in the Greenville Winter Invitational.
The Tigers got out to a 27-point lead over the Bearcats, then needed two free throws from senior Dillon Hunter with three seconds left to avoid an embarrassing loss.
It was a far cry from the start Clemson got off to. The Tigers took a 23-3 lead after Nick Davidson sank a 3-pointer just over 10:30 to play in the first half, and Clemson would take a 38-18 lead into halftime. Cincinnati out-scored Clemson, 47-30, in the second half.
Clemson had five players finish in double figures but none with more than 12 points. Ace Buckner and Carter Welling led the Tigers with 12 apiece while Jestin Porter added 11. Hunter, Davidson, and RJ Godfrey all had 10 apiece.
Here’s the latest on the Tigers in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after a 2-0 week that also included a 68-61 win over rival South Carolina at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Clemson is unranked in the pre-Christmas Week 8 USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Tigers received only one vote for top 25 consideration.
The Duke Blue Devils, the ACC’s last remaining unbeaten team, suffered their first loss of the season, 82-81 to Texas Tech. The ACC has four teams ranked in the top 25. Louisville slipped three more spots after its second loss of the season while North Carolina rose one spot after its late escape against Ohio State. Virginia rose one spot, as well.
The full Week 8 top 25 rankings in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll are below.
No. 20 St. John’s; No. 24 Auburn;
St. John’s 32; Kentucky 32; Seton Hall 20; Utah State 15; Auburn 10; California 9; UCLA 8; Saint Louis 8; LSU 6; Yale 4; Oklahoma State 3; Saint Mary’s 1; Indiana 1; Clemson 1;
Clemson (10-3) will open ACC play against the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome on New Year’s Eve. Tipoff for Clemson-Syracuse is noon ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
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