CLEMSON BASKETBALL

Orlando Ramirez - USA Today Sports
Orlando Ramirez - USA Today Sports

ESPN picks Clemson as No. 1 re-seed in NCAA Tournament


by - Assoc. Editor -

'Clemson Grit' was on full display during Sunday's NCAA Tournament if that means manhandling and dominating your opponent into utter embarrassment on national television.

Clemson spanked Auburn 84-53 in San Diego, Ca. on Sunday night to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997.

It was such a historic loss for Auburn that it tied the largest margin of defeat by an SEC team in NCAA Tournament history according to ESPN Stats & Info. By the way, it was also Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl's 58th birthday during Sunday's beatdown. So...Happy Birthday I guess from Brad Brownell and company.

ESPN released their latest article re-seeding the Sweet 16 teams and picked Clemson as a No. 1 seed alongside Villanova, Duke, and West Virginia.

"This is an elite defensive squad that recorded a 46-for-80 combined mark inside the arc in wins over New Mexico State and Auburn, a pair of good teams," ESPN said. "Clemson skated by NMSU and embarrassed Auburn. This balanced group has helped Brad Brownell continue his "How you like me now?" tour after he started the season with an uncertain future."

Clemson has +2500 odds to win the entire NCAA Tournament with better chances to cut down the nets than Kansas State (+2800), Florida State (+4000), Loyola-Chicago (+5000), and Syracuse (+6600). That's not too shabby for a team that media pundits picked 13th in the ACC in the preseason.

Vegas lines for Sweet 16 games:

Kansas (-4) vs Clemson

Nevada (-2) vs Loyola

Michigan (-3) vs A&M

UK (-6) vs KSU

Gonzaga (-5) vs FSU

Nova (-5) vs WVU

Duke (-11.5) vs Cuse

Purdue (-1.5) vs Tech

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