A match-up with top-seeded Virginia is at stake Wednesday as Florida State and Clemson meet for the third time this season. The Seminoles and Tigers split a pair of match-ups this season with the road team winning each time.
Both teams come in with records of 8-10 in conference play. No. 9 seed Florida State is 16-15 overall while the eighth-seeded Tigers are 16-14 on the year. Florida State defeated the Tigers by a 59-55 margin at Littlejohn Coliseum on January 19th and Clemson returned the favor by topping the Seminoles 62-56 on February 4th in Tallahassee.
Key Players for Florida State
- Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Fr.-G): 14.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.4 APG
- Montay Brandon (Jr.-G/F): 11.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 56% FG
- Devon Bookert (Jr.-G): 10.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 40% 3PT
Key Players for Clemson
- Jaron Blossomgame (So.-F): 13.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 49% FG
- Donte Grantham (Fr.-F): 8.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.0 BPG
- Rod Hall (Sr.-G): 8.6 PPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG
As was the case in the first two meetings, defense is sure to be the theme on Wednesday. Clemson is yielding less than 62 points-per-game and averaging nearly five blocks while Florida State is coming off one of its best defensive performances of the year. The Seminoles held Pittsburgh to 52 points and 33 percent shooting in Saturday’s victory.
Donte Grantham and Jaron Blossomgame lead a tough, talented group of Clemson forwards. Blossomgame leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounding while Florida State’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes is the only player in the ACC to lead his team in scoring and assists. Rathan-Mayes finished with 17 points, 9 assists and 4 steals in FSU’s victory at Clemson back in January.
Though his numbers have dropped during the second half of the season, Montay Brandon leads a group of long, athletic and versatile Seminoles. Brandon averages a team-best 5.6 rebounds-per-game and has been very efficient from the floor, shooting 56 percent for the season.
Florida State has won the last four ACC Tournament match-ups against Clemson including a 73-69 contest in the first round of the conference tournament two years ago. Wednesday’s game is slated to tip off after noon on Wednesday and will air on ESPN.
