CLEMSON — Clemson basketball is unranked in the preseason AP top 25 poll released on Monday.
The Tigers received nine points to tie for 39th with Boise State, Saint Louis and Providence. They are the fifth-highest ACC team, finishing behind No. 7 Duke, No. 9 North Carolina, Wake Forest (37 points) and Miami (11). One other ACC school earned votes: Louisville (4).
Clemson’s preseason ranking is a massive drop after it finished No. 14 in the poll and No. 15 in the coaches poll to conclude last season. It reached the Elite Eight for the first time in 44 years last season but has a considerably different roster after key players departed via the portal, expiring eligibility or the NBA draft.
Clemson coach Brad Brownell, who earned a contract extension in July, added four transfers and three freshman to boost the Tigers. They look to compliment guard Chase Hunter and forwards Ian Schieffelin and Chauncey Wiggins to help Clemson make the NCAA Tournament in two consecutive years for the first time since 2010 and 2011.
Clemson will open its season with three ranked opponents on its schedule: No. 23 Kentucky on Dec. 3, No. 7 Duke on Feb. 8 and No. 9 North Carolina on Feb. 10.
Kansas is the No. 1 team in the poll, earning 1,449 points and 30 first-place votes. Alabama, who defeated Clemson in the Elite Eight last season, is No. 2 with 1,428 points and 14 first-place votes. The defending national champions, UConn, are No. 3 and received 11 first-place vote.
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Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
