Andrew Carr has produced huge games vs. Clemson -- can he do it again for Kentucky?

Despite so many fifth-year veterans up and down the roster, Andrew Carr is the only player on this deeply experienced Kentucky team who can say they’ve gone up against the Clemson Tigers before. Not even Mark Pope faced Clemson as a head coach throughout his nine seasons at Utah Valley State and BYU.

That will change tonight though (9:30 p.m. EST on ESPN) when the Tigers host Kentucky in the Wildcats’ first true road game of the 2024-25 season. Going into Littlejohn Coliseum will be new to everyone except for Carr.

The Pennsylvania native posted a 2-1 record against Clemson across his previous two seasons at Wake Forest. He was spectacular in the two wins, but not so much in the lone loss. That one defeat came on the road early into his junior season though. The 6-foot-11 forward learned from his mistakes and dominated the Tigers the following two times out at home — one happening just a month after the loss and the second near the end of his senior campaign.

Here is how Carr has performed against the Tigers in his three matchups.

• Dec. 2022 @ Clemson (77-57 L): 4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 turnover in 23 minutes | 2-5 FG, 0-3 3PT, 0-0 FT
• Jan. 2023 vs. Clemson (87-77 W): 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 0 turnovers in 36 minutes | 7-12 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3-4 FT
• March 2024 vs. Clemson (81-76 W): 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 turnovers in 35 minutes | 6-7 FG, 2-3 3PT, 3-4 FT

While this season’s Clemson roster is quite different than the one that reached the Elite Eight back in the spring, there are a couple of holdover pieces that Carr knows well. Guard Chase Hunter and forward Ian Schieffelin were on the team in 2023-24 and have taken on even larger roles in 2024-25.

Carr was matched up against the 6-foot-8 Schieffelin in last season’s contest and will likely see him again tonight for extended stretches. Schieffelin, who has starred for Clemson this season and is averaging a double-double, finished with just five points (2-7 FG) and six rebounds in 27 minutes against Carr back in March.

Schieffelin upped his overall game in the offseason though, particularly as a playmaker. He’s going to present a physical challenge for Carr and the rest of Kentucky’s big men. Having Brandon Garrison back in the rotation after he missed the last game will be significant. But Carr has proven he can shine against Clemson and Schieffelin in the past.

Another similar performance in a Wildcat uniform should result in a huge win for the ‘Cats going into Saturday’s showdown in Seattle with Gonzaga.