After losing back-to-back games to NC State and Wake, Virginia looks to win their sixth straight game when they head to Clemson.
The Cavaliers are 7-3 in the ACC and 16-4 overall. They’re a half-game out of second place, just behind Duke, who faces UNC next.
Clemson is 3-5 in their last 8. The Tigers’ inconsistency has been maddening, especially considering this is a roster with PJ Hall, Joe Girard III, Chase Hunter, and Ian Schieffelin.
Clemson is 4-5 in the ACC, 14-6 overall.
Keys for Virginia:
Board work: Clemson is third in the conference in Defensive Rebounds. Taking care of that side of the board prevents teams from having multiple possessions in a single possession.
Virginia is 14th in the ACC in offensive rebounds.
Road games are a different beast, and the Cavaliers will need to make a difference on the offensive boards. That can’t depend on shooting the way they did against Notre Dame on a nightly basis.
Getting on the boards means breaking down Clemson’s defense by getting in the paint. That will open up the weak side for rebounds from Ryan Dunn and Jordan Minor.
Conversely, Virginia can’t let PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin be a factor on the offensive boards.
Three-Point Shooting:
Virginia might not need 13 made three-pointers like they had the other night against the Fighting Irish, but there’s a reason why the Cavaliers are 4th in 3-point shooting percentage in the conference. Virginia tends to take the right three. Even on misses, the floor is balanced, and the miss doesn’t serve as the first pass of their opponent’s fast breaks.
Clemson is 13th in the conference in defending the three.
Take away the kick and reversal for three:
Clemson’s numbers from three show they are a strong catch-and-shoot three-point shooting team.
Nearly 65% of Girard’s made threes are assisted. That number is 86.4% for Chauncey Wiggins and 68.2% for Chase Hunter.
That means the Cavaliers need to flatten out the ball handlers on drives, especially in screen and roll. That also means when the ball rotates, the Cavaliers must rotate fast and on a rope.
