Clemson basketball wrapped its nonconference schedule with a 68-65 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats last Sunday in Greenville.
Coach Brad Brownell’s Tigers will head into ACC play at 10-3 overall, having won three straight games since back-to-back losses to Alabama in the ACC/SEC Challenge and BYU in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York in early December.
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Clemson is currently No. 37 in the NCAA’s latest NET rankings and has one Quad 1 victory (against Georgia) and one Quad 2 victory (against West Virginia) on its nonconference résumé. The Tigers have been to two NCAA Tournaments in a row and are hoping to make it three straight with a strong showing in ACC play.
Here’s where Clemson sits in ESPN’s latest bracketology update, updated on Dec. 23.
Is Clemson basketball projected to make the NCAA Tournament?
In the latest bracketology update from longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi, Clemson is a projected No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Lunardi has the Tigers in the East Region bracket in March Madness and facing the No. 9 seed LSU Tigers in the first round in Philadelphia.
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Lunardi has the UConn Huskies as the top seed in the East Region.
ESPN projects top four seeds in 2026 NCAA Tournament entering conference play
With Dan Hurley’s UConn as ESPN’s projected top seed in the East Region entering conference play, the Michigan Wolverines join them on the seed line as the top seed in the Midwest Region. The Arizona Wildcats (West Region) and Iowa State Cyclones (South Region) are also projected No. 1 seeds.
Michigan (11-0) is ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll; Arizona (11-0) is No. 1 in the AP poll.
ACC basketball teams projected to reach 2026 NCAA Tournament by ESPN
The ACC has eight teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament as of Dec. 23, tied with the Big 12. The SEC and Big Ten lead the way with 10 projected bids in March Madness.
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The highest seed belongs to the Duke Blue Devils, who are forecast as the No. 2 seed in the East Region. The Louisville Cardinals are the next highest-seed projected as a No. 4. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the projected No. 5 seed in the South Region.
Here’s a look at the ACC teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament in ESPN’s bracketology.
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1. Duke (No. 2 seed, East Region)
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2. Louisville (No. 4 seed, Midwest Region)
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3. North Carolina (No. 5 seed, South Region)
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4. Virginia Cavaliers (No. 6 seed, South Region)
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5. Clemson (No. 8 seed, East Region)
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6. NC State Wolfpack (No. 9 seed, South Region)
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7. SMU Mustangs (No. 9 seed, West Region)
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8. Miami Hurricanes (No. 10 seed, West Region)
Clemson basketball schedule 2025-26
Clemson (10-3) will open ACC play against the Syracuse Orange (9-4) at JMA Wireless Dome on Dec. 31. Tipoff for Clemson-Syracuse is 1 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson basketball bracketology update from ESPN entering ACC opener
