Clemson vs. Florida State: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Clemson and Florida State are set to meet on the hardwood for a matchup between an ACC favorite and a program struggling to adjust to a younger-than-normal roster. Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton has lamented his team’s youth at times this season, but they’ll get no chance to rest on Saturday against a top-notch Clemson outfit.

How to watch Clemson vs. Florida State

Tip-off: 5 p.m. ET

Location: Tallahassee, Fla.

Channel: ACC Network

Vegas odds

The Tigers are currently listed as a 4.5-point favorite over the Seminoles, according to VegasInsider.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: Clemson

Predicted point differential: 5.1

Win probability (for Clemson): 68.7%

Matchup quality: 70.3

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a tool that measures team strength and uses that to predict outcomes of future performances. ESPN’s BPI has the game ranked as the 25th highest-rated game on Thursday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: Clemson 75, Florida State 70

Win probability (for Clemson): 68%

More on Clemson vs. Florida State

Clemson enters Saturday’s ACC showdown sitting atop the ACC standings with a 9-1 conference mark. The Tigers have only been bested once, and that came on the road recently at Wake Forest. Can Florida State use its home court to similar effect to pull off a surprising upset?

We’ll see. Clemson has won nine of its last 10 games and is in good form coming into the weekend.

Florida State, on other hand, suffered what coach Leonard Hamilton called a “beatdown” at the hands of Miami. His real question is whether his team can begin to grow up to handle playing the way he wants to. For now, the Seminoles just haven’t quite been able to muster the defensive mentality he wants them to adopt.

Clemson will go in favored by most of the metrics, but can Florida State make it a more interesting game than many expect on the home floor?