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Clemson earns No. 1 seed in NIT as bracket is revealed

Matt Connollyby:Matt Connolly03/12/23

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Brevin Galloway
Brevin Galloway and Clemson are in the NIT. (Getty Images)

Clemson didn’t accomplish its ultimate goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament, but the Tigers will be playing in the postseason.

Clemson has earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT, it was announced Sunday night.

The Tigers will host No. 8 seed Morehead St. on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Clemson was one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament, despite finishing 23-10 (14-6). Clemson is the first ACC team to win 70 percent of its games and not make the NCAA tourney since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Brad Brownell said prior to the NCAA Tournament selection show that he felt like his team should be in.

“Eye test – I think just watching our team play,” he said. “I mean Hunter Tyson and PJ Hall voted as two of the top 12 or 13 players in the ACC. We have the second best defense and the fifth best offense. We won 14 ACC games. I just think if you watch our team play, and you’ve seen us throughout the year, we look like one of the top teams in the country to be in this tournament.”

However, the committee disagreed.

Other teams in Clemson’s portion of the NIT bracket include No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 UAB, Southern Miss, Yale and Toledo.

This is Clemson’s first trip to the NIT since 2019. The Tigers were also on the bubble that year but were left out, despite having a NET of 35.

In addition to Tyson and Hall, Clemson has two other players who average double figures in point guard Chase Hunter and shooting guard Brevin Galloway.