Saturday, December 10, 2022 6:30 p.m.
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Ga.

Loyola travels to Atlanta for a neutral site game against Clemson on Saturday in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event, which features Auburn vs. Memphis as the top billing. The Ramblers enter the game at 4-5, while the Tigers show up with an 8-2 mark.

Clemson will certainly be favored by several points in a neutral site game 124 miles from their campus in a nearby recruiting hotbed. Clemson’s leading scorer Chase Hunter and his younger brother Dillon are both from Atlanta, and three other players on the roster are also from Georgia. The Ramblers are headed down South because they need a chance to beat a quality opponent in non-conference play, and the Tigers fit the bill.

Brad Brownell has been coaching at Clemson since 2010, when he left Wright State for a big paycheck. At Clemson, he’s developed a pattern of having a very good team every four years or so. In his 12 seasons with the Tigers prior to this one, he’s had six seasons in the KenPom top 50, four 20-win seasons, and three trips to the NCAA. This year’s team is 8-2, but they’re 1-2 away from home, and their only win away from home was a neutral site single-digit win against 0-10 California.

The Tigers will probably start 6’4” senior shooting guard Alex Hemenway, 6’3” junior point guard Chase Hunter, 6’3” senior guard Brevin Galloway, 6’8” forward Hunter Tyson, and 6’10” junior forward PJ Hall. Chase Hunter and Hunter Tyson both average 14.8 points per game to co-lead the team, with Chase leading in assists (5.3) and Tyson leading in rebounds at 9.4. Hall (13.0 ppg), Hemenway (10.6) and Galloway (10.1) round out a starting five that all average double digits in scoring. The three top bench players are 6’10” sophomore forward Ben Middlebrooks, 6’8” sophomore Ian Schieffelin, and 6’3” freshman guard Joshua Beadle.

Clemson is an extremely good three-point shooting team. They rank 6th in all of college basketball, and their three top distance shooters are Hemenway (52.1%), Chase Hunter (51.1%), and Hunter Tyson (47.7%), each with 21 or more made threes on the young season. They don’t make a lot of turnovers, and they’re really good at the free throw line (76.1% as a team). They’ve got some big bodies with reasonable athleticism down low who can post up well.

Clemson seems like they’re vulnerable away from home. Among their weaknesses are finishing on contested shots inside the arc, driving to the basket, they’re a little on the slow side, and they’re not very deep at guard. Getting to the free throw line is a big part of Clemson’s game, and they do it a lot when they’re at home—so stopping them by not putting them on the line is an option. Without the home cookin’ foul calls, they’ve got to hit a lot more defended shots.

I think the Clemson big men have the potential to be lured into foul trouble, especially if they're embarrassed on a play. I’m speaking of PJ Hall and Middlebrooks, the two 6’10” big men—they get chippy. Hall has 3 fouls in each of their two losses, and he had 4 fouls in the close game against Towson where Clemson trailed most of the game. Middlebrooks fouled out in 10 minutes against Towson and piled up 4 fouls in 9 minutes against Bellarmine.

Loyola has been improving slowly, a little bit each game. The really bad stretches are almost gone, the good stretches are getting longer, and the impressive stuff feels like it’s ready to happen. What we haven’t really seen at all yet from this year’s Ramblers is a great game plan against a quality opponent. It will take both the best game Loyola has played this season AND a great gameplan with excellent execution to beat Clemson in this neutral/(not really neutral) site.


Loyola game notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... _Notes.pdf

Clemson game notes: https://clemsontigers.com/gamedayguide-2223-lc/

TV/Streaming video: ACC Network https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/ ... 890bbde7ea

Radio/Streaming audio: https://loyolaramblers.com/watch/?Live=128&type=Live

Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=437937

Vegas odds: Clemson by 5.5

I have a good feeling this is the game we turn it around. Keep the Atlanta winning streak alive!

So...any way to watch this one? I thought it'd be picked up by my ESPN3 subscription.

Early but we are looking really good. Turnovers though, let’s limit those.

Playing really well in the first half, but the 2nd half has been our problem this season. Drew needs to anticipate their halftime adjustments.

Have to have ACC Network via a cable/streaming subscription.

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MBB Scholarship Chart

Yep, coaching can really help us hold onto this lead.

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MBB Scholarship Chart

No argument there, Drew needs to adjust and keep the offense humming.

Was a great half, Norris has been on fire and Alston has no fear banging with the big boys. Welch bring his sneaky good self, would like to see some more pick and rolls with him 2nd half. Keep it up fellas.

You can also watch on ustvgo.tv which has ACCNetwork. Its not super legit but it works better than ESPN Plus which, as we know, is janky. No signup or login crap is necessary for it.

Great half of basketball! Got to keep it up. Would show huge growth from the DePaul game if we can keep a double-digit lead this time.