Clemson looks to stay competitive while it awaits return of injured forward Carter Welling

The Clemson Tigers have not won an NCAA Tournament game under coach Brad Brownell since reaching the Elite Eight in the 2023-24 season. Last year, the Tigers rallied to beat Wake Forest and North Carolina to reach the ACC Tournament semifinals and secure a NCAA bid, but lost to Iowa 67-61 in the first round. The Tigers, who are picked to finish sixth in the ACC this season, suffered a huge blow when guard Zac Foster re-tore his ACL in early October. He is out for the season.

Clemson's 6-foot-11 senior forward Carter Welling is the team's top returning scorer from last season after averaging 10.2 points per game, but isn't expected back until January after he tore an ACL in March. Transfers David Fuchs from San Francisco and Dylan Faulkner from Samford are expected to help fill that void in the frontcourt. Fuchs, Faulkner, transfers Cole Certa (Notre Dame) and Liutauras Lelevisius (TCU) and returning point guard Ace Buckner are expected to round out the starting five. Buckner appears to have elevated his game and could be the leading scorer — at least until Welling returns. Brownell had said he expected to integrate more pick and roll into this year's offense, but that was before Foster's injury.

The Tigers' four transfers — Fuchs, Faulkner, Certa, Lelevicius — are all expected to play major roles. Three incoming freshmen, Harris Reynolds, Amare James and Will Stevens, could take longer to develop. The Tigers have some holes to fill after losing RJ Godfrey (12.3 ppg), Jestin Porter (9.3 ppg), Nick Davidson (9.1 ppg), Efrem Johnson and Jake Wahlin from last year's team which finished tied for fourth in the ACC.

Clemson hosts No. 9 Virginia on Dec. 29, but most of the Tigers' tougher conference games against ranked opponents won't come until later in the season. That's a good thing since Welling will have a chance to be back on the court. The Tigers vist No. 14 Miami on Jan. 27, host No. 2 Duke on Jan. 30 and travel to No. 11 Louisville on March 6.

Guard Dillon Hunter’s eiligibility status remains on hold after a Georgia appellate court granted the NCAA a stay of the ruling that gave him a fifth season. Hunter averaged 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game a season ago. Brownell said he could have some “hard decisions to make” when it comes to Hunter. ... The Tigers are expected to continue to play their style of game, which will feature halfcourt sets and a focus on defense. Clemson's defense finished 26th in the country last season (66.7 ppg), while its offense ranked No. 236 (73.8 ppg).