The Clemson Tigers (4-1) and West Virginia Mountaineers (5-0) are set to face off in the Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic on Friday, going head-to-head in Charleston, South Carolina. The ACC vs. Big XII showdown will tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
The Tigers are 3.5-point favorites in the matchup with -162 moneyline odds, and the total has been set at 132.5 points. Here is a preview of the midweek showdown featuring odds and lines from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Clemson vs. West Virginia Preview
Clemson Preview
The Tigers opened up the season with a trio of low-major opponents, dismantling each of them without leaving anything up to imagination. Clemson beat New Hampshire 88-38, Gardner-Webb 97-59, and Morehead State 83-56. That run of blowout victories didn’t do much to prepare the Tigers for their first big-time matchup of the year, however. Georgetown eked one out against Clemson in Washington, D.C., on November 15, notching a 79-74 win. The Tigers bounced back with an 81-61 victory over North Alabama a few days later, keeping them a perfect 4-0 at home.
Utah Valley transfer Carter Welling is Clemson’s leading scorer at 11.4 points per game, but the 6-foot-11 center has had plenty of help. Guard Ace Buckner is averaging 11.0 points per game, while RJ Godfrey is averaging 10.8 after leaving Clemson for Georgia, then returning one year later. Nick Davidson, Jake Wahlin, Jestin Porter, and Zac Foster are each averaging between 7.8 and 9.8 points per game, too, rounding out an all-around attack on the offensive side of the floor.
There is no better team in the country than Clemson when it comes to limiting turnovers — averaging just 7.2 giveaways per game. The Tigers’ 32.2% 3-point percentage as a team puts them near the bottom-third of Division I programs, but their opponents’ 24.8% mark is good for the 20th-lowest.
Clemson is No. 26 in the latest KenPom rankings, good for fourth in the ACC. The metrics suggest that the Tigers are a well-balanced team, as they boast the No. 23 offense and No. 33 defense in terms of adjusted efficiency. Their 66.9 possessions per 40 minutes, meanwhile, rank No. 347 in the country — good for the fifth-slowest pace by any high-major team.
West Virginia Preview
The Mountaineers notched a 70-54 win over Mount St. Mary’s in the opener, then avoided an upset against Campbell with a 73-65 victory. A more comfortable 69-47 win over Lehigh set the stage for a 71-49 blowout over Pittsburgh in Morgantown. West Virginia then posted its best offensive showing of the young season by beating Lafayette 81-59.
Honor Huff has been the most effective member of the Mountaineers’ offense so far this year, averaging 17.2 points per game. The 5-foot-10 Chattanooga transfer has done the vast majority of his damage from deep, shooting 42.2% on nine 3-point attempts per game. Huff is also shooting 81.8% from the free-throw line on 6.6 attempts a night, but his 12.5% 2-point percentage and 0.4 assists per game underscore his limitations. North Texas transfer Jasper Floyd is the far more efficient distributor, dishing out five assists per game.
Forward Brenen Lorient, who also followed coach Ross Hodge from North Texas via the transfer portal, is averaging 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Seven-foot center Harlan Obioha came from UNC Wilmington and is averaging 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game through five contests.
In the updated KenPom rankings, West Virginia comes in at No. 61 overall. The Mountaineers have a defense-first identity under Hodge, ranking No. 20 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 101 in adjusted offensive efficiency. West Virginia also ranks No. 357 in adjusted tempo, making it one of the select few teams that play slower than Clemson.
Clemson vs. West Virginia Pick, Best Bet
As a result of the glacial pace that both teams bring to the table, the showdown between Clemson and West Virginia features one of the five lowest point totals out of Friday’s entire 73-game slate. So as tempting as it is to take the under on a game between two methodical offenses with strong defenses, that’s all baked into the 132.5-point total.
While Friday’s game is technically taking place at a neutral site, TD Arena is still in South Carolina. Clemson also defends the 3-pointer better than almost any other team in the nation, and West Virginia’s largely mediocre long-distance shooting is unlikely to overcome that factor. It took solid 3-point shooting from both Malik Mack and Caleb Williams — plus 14 free throw attempts from KJ Lewis — for Georgetown to record a five-point home win over Clemson. Huff will need to carry the Mountaineers from beyond the arc and at the charity stripe to stop Clemson from pulling away in their home state.
West Virginia could be in for their first loss of the season, and their first under Hodge.
