Clemson Selected for NCAA Tournament as No. 5 Seed in Midwest Region
CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson University men’s basketball earned an at-large bid into the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region and will face the No. 12 seed McNeese State (27-6) in Providence, R.I. on Thursday in the first round.
IPTAY members and fans should be prepared to visit NCAATickets.com or seek secondary options for tickets.
This marks the fifth time under Head Coach Brad Brownell and second consecutive season that the Tigers have advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will be making their 15th tournament appearance overall. All have taken place since 1980.
Clemson enters the game with a 27-6 record, including an 18-2 mark in regular-season ACC games. The Tigers have set new school records for wins in a season (27), ACC wins (18) and win percentage (.900) and ACC road wins (9). They finished the regular season with eight consecutive ACC wins – the previous mark of seven was set in 1966-67 and tied in 2022-23.
Clemson’s most successful NCAA runs came in both 2024 and 1980, earning trips to the Elite Eight. In 1980, the first year Clemson was selected, the Tigers won three tournament games under head coach Bill Foster and reached the Elite Eight of the tournament before losing to UCLA. Clemson also made the Elite Eight last season under Head Coach Brad Brownell. The Tigers defeated New Mexico, Baylor and Arizona before losing to Alabama.
The Tigers produced two All-ACC players, including First Team selection Chase Hunter (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) and Second Team selection Ian Schieffelin (Atlanta, Ga./Grayson). Jaeden Zackery (Salem, Wis./Westosha Central/Boston College) was recognized for his work on the defensive end and was named to the All-Defensive Team. Viktor Lakhin (Anapa, Russia/CSKA-2/Cincinnati) was named Honorable Mention.
Coach Brownell has taken three different programs to the NCAA Tournament. He previously took UNC Wilmington in 2003 and 2006, Wright State in 2007 and Clemson in 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2024. He took each school to the tournament in his first year with the program.
Clemson holds a 14-14 record in the NCAA Tournament that includes two Elite Eight appearances and five trips to the Sweet 16.