Both Clemson and NC State will put their hot starts to the test when the Tigers host the Wolfpack on Tuesday.
Clemson (8-1, 2-1) is coming off a narrow 66-65 victory over Miami on Saturday. The No. 19 Tigers’ lone blemish came on the road against No. 19 Virginia Tech (yes, they’re both ranked 19th in this week’s AP poll), 66-60.
NC State (6-1, 2-0) is off to its first 2-0 start in ACC play since the 2014-15 season and can get to 3-0 for the first time since 2012-13 with a win over the Tigers.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch Clemson vs. NC State.
How to watch Clemson vs. NC State: Time, TV channel, live stream
- Time: 7 p.m.
- TV channel: ACC Network
- Live stream: WatchESPN
Clemson vs. NC State will tip off at 7 p.m. ET at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C.. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network can be live streamed on the WatchESPN app, provided the user has a subscription to the ACC Network.
Key matchups
Aamir Simms vs. Jericole Hellems and DJ Funderburk
Aamir Simms has been the driving force for Clemson offensively. The first-team ACC preseason selection leads the Tigers with 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, along with a healthy 2.2 assists per game. Simms is coming off his best game of the season in a one-point win over Miami, in which he had 25 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four blocks. He shot 10-of-14 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3-point range, scoring the game-winner with 19 seconds remaining.
NC State should be better-equipped to handle Simms than the Hurricanes were. They’ve got a couple of studs in the front court in Jericole Hellems (12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds) and DJ Funderburk (11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds).
Hellems had 20 points and six rebounds in the Wolfpack’s win over Boston College on Saturday, while Funderburk added 21 points and five boards off the bench in his first game back after missing three games due to COVID-19 protocols.
That also doesn’t bring into account NC State sophomore Manny Bates, who’s a game-time decision after injuring his leg in the win over BC. Bates is averaging 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game. If he’s available, his defense could give the Wolfpack a huge boost in trying to slow down Simms.
Devon Daniels vs. Al-Amir Dawes and Clyde Trapp
Senior guard Devon Daniels is quickly emerging as one of the best players in the ACC. He leads NC State with 16.3 points per game despite shooting just 28.1 percent from 3-point range. He might be going up against his toughest matchup yet though.
Clemson ranks second nationally in defensive efficiency, holding each of its opponents so far to under 1.0 point per possession.
A big part of that has been the Tigers’ depth. Al-Amir Dawes and Clyde Trapp are the starters in the back court, and they do a really good job of making teams take tough shots while also creating turnovers. Clemson opponents have averaged 18.4 turnovers per game and have shot 29.1 percent from 3-point range.
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