Clemson makes top-20 of preseason 'Power 36' |
Some recent good news for Clemson basketball has expectations high in the early preseason rankings.
Starting guards Shelton Mitchell and Marcquise Reed announced their return for a final season with the Tigers last week, giving Clemson four starters returning and three with 30-plus starts from last season’s Sweet 16 run. NCAA and former ESPN college basketball writer Andy Katz ranked the 2018-19 Tigers No. 19 in his post-NBA-decision Power 36 on Monday. “The Tigers could've been facing a rebuild but the decisions to return made by Shelton Mitchell and Marcquise Reed mean Clemson has its backcourt in place to make another run at a top-four finish in the ACC,” Katz writes. “Clemson has stability and is confident that it can be a major player in the ACC.” Other top ACC programs check in at No. 3 in Virginia, No. 6 in Duke, No. 8 in North Carolina, No. 13 in Syracuse, No. 14 in Virginia Tech and No. 18 in Florida State. Clemson outpeformed a preseason No. 13 pick in the ACC by finishing tied for third place in the conference standings and earned a 4-seed in the ACC Tournament last season. NCAA: 19 ESPN: 20 NBC Sports: 23 CBS Sports: 24 Yahoo: Not ranked Clemson early preseason rankings
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