Radford vs. Clemson Odds, Pick
| Radford Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -110 | 141.5 -110o / -110u | +1000 |
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-15.5 -110 | 141.5 -110o / -110u | -2000 |
The Clemson Tigers finish non-conference play by hosting the pesky Radford Highlanders from the Big South Conference. Radford already pulled an upset a few weeks ago against West Virginia and hopes to give Clemson a similar fate.
Radford Highlanders
Head coach Darris Nichols boasts an elite guard trio featuring homegrown freshman Kenyon Giles, who leads the team with 14 points per game, and a pair of transfers, Bryan Antoine and DaQuan Smith. All three guards attempt more than four 3s per contest. Antoine is the best shooter of the bunch on a percentage basis, rattling in over 41% of his outside shots.
If those three connect on shots, it could make Clemson fans sweat a bit.
The Highlanders enter the game at 10-4, with losses against No. 19 North Carolina and a narrow three-point defeat against No. 23 James Madison. Radford pushed the Heels in the first half before UNC imposed its will in the final 20 minutes.
Plus, Radford led James Madison for most of the game, and the Dukes still haven't lost to this point.
The hope from Radford is that games stay low-scoring. That's the pace it plays, placing 328th nationally in Adjusted Tempo.
Radford's personnel could play more up-tempo, but that's not the style Coach Nichols wants. He wants a low-position game with defensive intensity.
Clemson Tigers
Clemson is one of the surprises of the college basketball season, currently sitting in the top 15 of the most recent AP Poll. The Tigers' only loss came by two points against Memphis, and it holds a slew of valuable resume-building wins.
PJ Hall isn't just Clemson's best player; he's one of America's best players. The versatile forward from Spartanburg, South Carolina, leads the team with 20.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and he shoots 56% from the floor and 39% from deep.
While Radford's two solid bigs — Justin Archer and Chandler Turner — will fill solid minutes, neither can stop the dominant Hall.
The Tigers have an extremely balanced attack, ranking 23rd in Offensive Efficiency and 37th in Defensive Efficiency.
The biggest hold-up for people ranking Clemson in the preseason was defense. How would the Tigers' unit perform with Joe Girard III, who's not a good defender, in the lineup? His defensive issues have yet to make an enormous difference, and Clemson regularly dominates teams on the defensive glass.
The other pieces make up for what Girard lacks on that end of the floor.
Clemson's offense is one of the most reliable in college basketball. Coach Brad Brownell's team has posted an effective field goal percentage of 56.7% (16th nationally), a turnover percentage of 14% and an elite 39% 3-point shooting percentage.
Clemson isn't losing many games when the offense isn't making mistakes and when it's finding scoring lanes inside and out.
Radford vs. Clemson
Betting Pick & Prediction
I think Clemson's size is arguably its biggest advantage. We saw how the duo of Hall and Ian Schieffelin dominated Alabama's frontcourt, so I assume it'll have a similar impact against the smaller Highlanders.
The formula here is simple: get the ball inside early and often and eventually get the guards involved from deep.
Clemson should take a double-digit lead relatively early in the contest, and I don't expect Radford to make the Tiger faithful sweat much.
Clemson just feasts on lesser opponents and also beats the good ones. That's what the good teams do, and Clemson is really good.
Pick: Clemson -15.5
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