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The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball programme that represents Clemson University and competes in the NCAA Division I. The Tigers are a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), of which they were a founding member in 1953. Clemson first sponsored a men's basketball team in the 1911-12 season, winning their first conference championship in 1939 and the ACC regular season in 1990. They have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times since 1980, advancing to the Sweet 16 five times and the Elite Eight twice. Clemson's home court is Littlejohn Coliseum, where they have won 55 games against ranked teams since 1968.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Clemson Tigers |
| University | Clemson University |
| Division | NCAA Division I |
| Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) |
| Founding Year of Conference | 1953 |
| Founding Member | Yes |
| First Basketball Team Sponsored | 1911-12 |
| First Conference Championship | 1939 |
| ACC Regular Season Championship | 1990 |
| ACC Tournament Wins | 0 |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | 14 (1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2024) |
| NCAA Sweet 16 Appearances | 5 (1980, 1990, 1997, 2018, 2024) |
| Elite Eight Appearances | 2 (1980, 2024) |
| Home Court | Littlejohn Coliseum |
| Current Head Coach | Brad Brownell |
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What You'll Learn
Clemson Tigers basketball history
The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team represents Clemson University and competes in the NCAA Division I. Clemson first sponsored a men's basketball team in the 1911–12 season, and the team's first two games were played in Greenville, South Carolina, on February 9, 1912. The Tigers won their first seven games, which is the longest streak to open a program among the current 15 ACC schools. Clemson's first basketball coach was former Pittsburgh Nationals player Frank Dobson, who led the team to a 13–5 record in its first two seasons.
The Tigers began play in the Southern Conference in 1921, and in the 1928–29 season, they won 15 games, a school record at the time. In 1931, coach Josh Cody led Clemson to its first huge upset, defeating Adolph Rupp's 10–1 Kentucky Wildcats, 29–26, at Clemson on Valentine's Day. Clemson won its first conference championship in 1939, and in the 1954–55 season, Bill Yarborough averaged 28.3 points per game, the fourth-best in the nation and the best in the ACC. Vince Yockel became the first Clemson player to make the first-team All-ACC in 1958.
Clemson became a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 1953, and the Tigers have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times since the tournament expansion in 1980. Clemson has advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 five times and reached the Elite Eight twice, in 1980 and 2024. The Tigers have never won the ACC basketball tournament but have achieved numerous notable victories, including wins over top-ranked teams such as #1 Duke in 1980 and #3 Duke in 2009. Clemson's home court is Littlejohn Coliseum, where they have won approximately 75% of their games, making it one of the ACC's toughest road venues.
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Clemson Tigers' head coaches
The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball programme that represents Clemson University in the NCAA Division I. Clemson is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Tigers have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times in the modern era, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 five times, with their best performance reaching the Elite Eight twice.
The current head coach of the Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is Brad Brownell, who was hired in 2010. Brownell has led the Tigers to the 2024 Elite Eight, 2018 Sweet 16, and the 2025, 2021 and 2011 NCAA Tournaments. In the 2011-12 season, Brownell's team went 16-15 and 8-8 in ACC play, marking the fifth straight season the Tigers achieved a .500 or better record in conference games. Brownell's 2011 Tigers won an ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament game in the same season, a feat not achieved since 1990.
Prior to Brad Brownell, the Clemson Tigers men's basketball head coaches include Larry Shyatt (1998-2003), who led the team to a 20-win season in his first year, and Press Maravich, father of basketball legend Pete Maravich. Clemson's first basketball coach was Frank Dobson, who guided the Tigers to a 13-5 record in the inaugural two seasons.
The Tigers have a rich basketball history, with their first two games played in Greenville, South Carolina, on February 9, 1912, with a combined score of 124-18 across the two wins. John and Frank Erwin scored 74 points between them in the second game, with John's 58 points standing as Clemson's single-game scoring record over a century later.
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Clemson Tigers' players
The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball programme representing Clemson University in the NCAA Division I. The Tigers are a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and first sponsored a men's basketball team in the 1911-12 season. Clemson's current head coach is Brad Brownell, who took over from Larry Shyatt, who coached the team from 1998 to 2003.
The Tigers' first two basketball games were played in Greenville, South Carolina, on 9 February 1912. The team won both games, with brothers John and Frank Erwin scoring a combined 74 points in their second game. John Erwin's 58 points still stand as Clemson's single-game scoring record. The Tigers began play in the Southern Conference in 1921 and finished the 1922-23 season with an 11-6 record.
Clemson won its first conference championship in 1939 and the ACC regular season in 1990. The Tigers have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times in the modern era, advancing to the Sweet 16 five times and the Elite Eight twice, in 1980 and 2024.
Notable players for the Clemson Tigers include Cliff Hammonds, K.C. Rivers, and Trevor Booker, who were coached by Purnell and guided the team to three NCAA appearances. In 1953-54, Bill Yarborough averaged 28.3 points per game, the fourth-best in the nation and best in the ACC. In 1958, Vince Yockel became the first Clemson player to make the first-team All-ACC. Jim Brennan made history in 1962 when he became the first Clemson player to make the first-team All-ACC Tournament, scoring 34 points against Duke in the semifinals.
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Clemson Tigers' NCAA tournament appearances
The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball programme that competes in the NCAA Division I. Clemson is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Tigers have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times in the modern era (since 1980), advancing to the Sweet 16 five times and the Elite Eight twice.
Clemson sponsored its first men's basketball team in the 1911-12 season, winning its first game 46-12 against Furman. The Tigers began play in the Southern Conference in 1921 and finished the 1922-23 season with an 11-6 record. In the 1954-55 season, Bill Yarborough averaged 28.3 points per game, the fourth-best in the nation and the best in the ACC. Vince Yockel became the first Clemson player to make the first-team All-ACC in 1958.
In the modern era, the Tigers have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times (as of 2024), with a 14-14 record. They have advanced to the Sweet 16 five times (1980, 1990, 1997, 2018, and 2024) and the Elite Eight twice (1980 and 2024). Clemson earned an at-large bid into the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed, marking their 15th tournament appearance and the fifth time under Head Coach Brad Brownell.
Clemson has a rich basketball history, with notable achievements and records over the years. Their home court, Littlejohn Coliseum, has witnessed many victories, including a notable win over #1 Duke in 1980. The Tigers' defence, led by Adubarie Otorubio, has been a key strength, with Otorubio considered one of Clemson's most gifted athletes.
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Clemson Tigers' ACC tournament appearances
The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball programme that represents Clemson University and competes in the NCAA Division I. Clemson is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Clemson sponsored its first men's basketball team in 1911-12, winning its first conference championship in 1939 and the ACC regular season in 1990. The Tigers have never won the ACC basketball tournament since its inception in 1953, but they have reached the NCAA tournament 14 times in the modern era (1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2024). They have advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 five times (1980, 1990, 1997, 2018, 2024) and their best performance was reaching the Elite Eight twice in 1980 and 2024.
Clemson's home court is Littlejohn Coliseum, where they have seen many victories over ranked teams since 1968, including a notable win against #1 Duke in 1980. The Tigers began playing in the Southern Conference in 1921 and finished the 1922-23 season with an impressive 11-6 record.
In the ACC, Clemson has had notable players and coaches throughout its history. In the 1954-55 season, Bill Yarborough averaged 28.3 points per game, ranking 4th best in the nation and 1st in the ACC. Vince Yockel became the first Clemson player to make the first-team All-ACC in 1958. Press Maravich, the father of basketball legend Pete Maravich, coached the Tigers to a memorable victory against an #8 NC State team. Jim Brennan made history as the first Clemson player to be named to the first-team All-ACC Tournament in 1962, scoring 34 points against #8 Duke in the semifinals.
Clemson's recent appearances in the ACC Tournament include the 51st ACC Tournament, where they faced Virginia Tech as the No. 5 seed. Clemson has a rich history in the ACC, with 11 ACC Tournament titles to their name, including their most recent win in 2023 against Miami (Fla.).
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Frequently asked questions
Clemson basketball, also known as the Clemson Tigers, is part of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Clemson University is a founding member of the ACC.
Clemson became a founding member of the ACC in 1953.
No, Clemson has never won the ACC basketball tournament since its inception in 1953.
