LOS ANGELES — Clemson basketball remains No. 2 seed Arizona at bay Thursday to upset the Wildcats 77-72 at Crypto.com Arena to advance to the Elite Eight for the second time in program history.
The sixth-seeded Tigers (24-11) are on a roll in the NCAA Tournament, beating New Mexico, Baylor and Arizona to continue their dominance against non-ACC opponents this season. Next up is No. 4 seed Alabama on Saturday (8:49 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV).
“(Thursday) was our day,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “We made enough plays to win, and I’m just super happy that these guys are going to get a chance to continue to play, and we get to spend more time together.”
Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide (24-11) finished second in the SEC and defeated No. 13 seed Charleston, No. 12 seed Grand Canyon and No. 1 seed North Carolina to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2004.
Here are three things to know, the betting lines and a score prediction for this matchup:
Clemson basketball looks to make the Final Four for the first time
The Tigers have inched closer to this goal all season. They started the season with an 11-1 record, then tied for fifth in the ACC standings. After a disappointing showing in the ACC Tournament, they made it to the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in program history and defeated the Lobos and the Bears.
Clemson faced its toughest foe and environment in March Madness on Thursday, overcoming the Wildcats, a team with the third-best scoring offense in the nation, and their strong segment of fans that traveled to California. When the Wildcats made it a tight game, Clemson displayed its resolve, making critical baskets and stops to win. Now, it is one game away from the Final Four.
“We have a lot of confidence in our team,” Brownell said. “We’ve been together for a long time, and so we know the ins and outs of each other and our personalities.”
Clemson defeated Alabama in its first road game this season
These two teams met in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Nov. 28 with the Tigers defeating the Crimson Tide 85-77. It was a battle between Alabama guard Mark Sears, who scored 23 points, and Clemson forward PJ Hall, who put up 21.
The Tigers passed their first true road test with flying colors, and the win boosted their NET ranking resume with the victory classified as a Quad 1 win. The victory also added to Clemson’s experience in winning against tough opponents in unfamiliar territories.
“We’ve played in more intense, harder environments than (Thursday),” Hall said. “We were calm. That speaks to our veterans, too, a lot of older guys in the group.”
MORE: How Clemson basketball overcame Arizona, its fans to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in 44 years
How did the Alabama Crimson Tide make the Elite 8?
Similar to Clemson, Alabama had a one-and-done appearance in its conference tournament, losing 102-88 to Florida. It used the double-digit loss to fuel their March Madness run, defeating Charleston 109-96, Grand Canyon 72-61 and UNC 89-87.
The Crimson Tide has the highest scoring offense in the SEC, averaging 90.7 points per game. They are led by Sears, who averages 21.4 points. It’s high-powered offense can get hot quickly and is used to lift them defensively since Alabama allows the most points in the conference, giving up 81.1 points per game.
Clemson vs. Alabama odds, spread in Elite 8 bracket
Clemson basketball is the underdog to defeat Alabama in the Elite Eight of March Madness, according to BetMGM odds. Here’s the latest spread, money line and odds for the NCAA Tournament game.
- Spread: Clemson (+3.5)
- Moneyline: Clemson (+130), Alabama (-150)
- Over/under: 164.5
Clemson prediction vs Alabama in March Madness’ Elite 8
Clemson 79, Alabama 75: The Tigers are now 13-1 against non-ACC opponents this season, showing they are a tough team for unfamiliar opponents to handle. Add in Clemson’s defense has hit its stride, slowing down high-octane offenses in March Madness, expect the Tigers to advance to the Final Four.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
