Clemson AD shows public support of basketball coach Brad Brownell

Clemson Athletics Director Graham Neff came out with a public show of support for Tigers coach Brad Brownell on Monday, less than 24 hours after the NCAA Tournament selection committee revealed that Clemson did not make the Big Dance.

Neff met with a few reporters Monday evening and said that he believes in Brownell, who is in his 13th season leading the Clemson program.

It has by all accounts been a very good season for Clemson as the Tigers are 23-10 (14-6) and finished third in the ACC.

Still, it wasn’t enough for Clemson to get into the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers were one of the first four teams out, despite going 5-0 against other bubble teams in NC State, Pitt and Penn State.

“A great year – 23-10, historic in a lot of ways. Really pleased of what was accomplished and with the team and leadership of the team. Excited to move forward with Brad. He and I met this morning for a while,” Neff said. “Share the frustration of last night and just think that we’re a tournament team – watch the games, resume. That was the anticipation going into the selection show. For it to come through and us be one the wrong side of it, really, really frustrating.”

This is the second consecutive year that Neff has come out and publicly addressed the basketball program and Brownell.

Neff wrote a letter to Clemson fans last season stating in part that: “Clemson Athletics has high expectations for all twenty-one of our varsity sports programs, and we do not – and will not -shy away from our pursuit of the highest levels of excellence and championships. This year’s Men’s Basketball season did not meet our expectations nor those of Head Coach Brad Brownell and student-athletes. There were a number of reasons for the results, but we realize this is a bottom-line game. In the days following the ACC Tournament, Coach Brownell and I met several times to discuss the state of the program, potential off-season changes and plans for next year that would return us to the NCAA Tournament.”

Clemson ultimately did not make the tournament, but the Tigers were incredibly close and became the first team since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to win 70 percent of their ACC games and be left out.

“Last year I put out a letter, put out some thoughts on expectations. … That still holds true,” Neff said. “Last offseason, this offseason I want us to continue to plan for the NCAA Tournament. From an expectation point that’s what it will always be.”