The "Down and In" Edition

Clemson is knocked out of the ACC Tournament after a furious comeback against Louisville. In the NCAA Tournament, the 5th-seed Tigers will face one of their own in Will Wade and 12th-seed McNeese State. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Each time, or Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Swan. Finally,

(00:45):
Clemson Sports Talk has come back. Two drive time, Hell
everybody long and Swan back in the saddle once again.
It is the show that shakes the south Land. Clemson
Sports Talk for you, each and every canoon as you
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(01:07):
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The website. Put the dot com on it, dog on it.
That's Clemson Sports Talk dot Com ETO three four five
oz Rosero eighty six. And of course, the show The
Shakes of South lamb brought to you in part by

(01:28):
our good friends over at METS Plumbing. Seven three two drip,
Drip drip. You know the jingle, seventh three to two drip.
That's Mets Plumbing all right, So lots to digest what
a weird feeling this is. Since Friday, we've seen Clemson

(01:52):
eliminated at the ACC Tournament by Louisville the Cardinals, with
a late fifteen point advantage. As a matter of fact,
the card led by fifteen with three twenty eight remaining,

(02:12):
and the Tigers would trim it to two in like
two minutes and thirty four seconds or something like that,
I mean fifty four seconds remaining in the game. Clemson
has it as a two point ball game. After being
down fifteen with three twenty eight remaining. The Tigers struggle
throughout the ballgame. We'll get into the minutia and the

(02:35):
numbers of it all, but let's talk about the final
under four.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Right.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
So in basketball, you have a four minute timeout, so
the game starts at twenty. Your first break is at sixteen,
the next break is at twelve, eight and four. Anytime
the clock stops under those times you would go to
a commercial break. Now, occasionally you can actually have back
to back commercial breaks. You might say, well, how's that happened?

(03:03):
Swany Well, let's say that you actually played eight minutes
and fifteen seconds of solid basketball right out of the gates,
no turnovers, no ball going out of bounds or whatever,
and the clock never stopped. That would put you at
the under eight timeout, but you never had the under
issume that would put you the under twelve timeout, which

(03:25):
would mean you never had the under sixteen and so
you would go to commercial, come back, and then at
the very next dead ball, even if it was a
second later, you would go to another commercial. That's just
how it works. But it's rare that that happens, but
I've seen it happen before. But anyway, in this game,

(03:46):
with three minutes and twenty eight seconds remaining, Chuckie Hepburn
made a second free throw to expand Louisvill's lead to
sixty nine fifty four, and then Clemson would go on
an incredible run, a blitz krieg, if you will, to

(04:10):
get back in the ball game and to make it
competitive down the stretch. So the positives right to come
from behind aspect of this team, the will to win,
the desire to never give up like those are huge positives.

(04:32):
And so that's what you take into the NCAA tournament.
And I said here on the program, I didn't think
Clipson needed the ball to bounce their way in order
to win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. And I still
feel that way. The ball clearly did not bounce Clemson's
way in that matchup against Louisville, but yet the Tigers

(04:55):
by the end turned up the pressure and ended up
making enough plays down the stretch to give themselves an
opportunity to win the game. Things that did not go
Clemson's way Chase Hunter before the half, picking up an
ill advised tiki tag foul. Just not smart. He had

(05:16):
already reached him once and got away with it. He
put his hand in the cookie jar, got away with it,
and then went back to the cookie jar and got
the foul. Why did that become important Because in the
second half he picks up an early foul, it has
to go to the bench, and that's when Louisville pulled away.
But even still, after going down fifteen with three twenty

(05:38):
eight remaining at sixty nine fifty four, Clemson still came back.
Chauncey Wiggins, who was somewhat invisible throughout the game, made
a drive to the left side, banked it in off
the glass trim Louisville's lead back to thirty.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Team.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
Wiggins would finish the game with seven points on three
of eight, shooting one of four from beyond the arc. Louisville, though,
when Clempson turned the pressure up after that Bucket called
a time out. Clemson keeps the pressure up. They get
a held ball situation with three zho three left, giving
the Tigers the ball back again, this point down thirteen.

(06:23):
Chase Hunter drives to the basket, can't convert. Clemson ends
up having the foul, sending Louisville back to the free
throw line. Hadley goes one of two, giving Louisville a
fourteen point lead. Jayden Zachary misses a three pointer from
the corner. There's a scramble for the ball and ultimately
there's a foul called that puts Chase Hunter on the line.

(06:46):
Hunter would subsequently knock down two free throws to make
it seventy to sixty eight with two forty two remaining. Again,
you're still down by twelve points with two forty two left,
and remember this is gonna be a two point game.
With a minute in fourteen remaining, Chase Hunter works his

(07:09):
way into the lane hits a shot. You're the ten
point game with about two twenty left. Again, the pressure
from Clemson forces Louisville to really kind of get out
of rhythm. They turn it back over. Jayden Zachary's fouled
when the ball kind of gets away near mid court.
I mean it was a wild scramble of a finish.

(07:31):
Jadan Zachary goes one of two from the line to
trim the lead down to nine with two minutes and
eleven segments left. The Tigers end up fouling, sending Edwards
to the free throw line for Louisville. He makes both
free throws, putting the Cardinals back up eleven with two
ten remaining. Following the time out, Jake hide Breeder catches

(07:52):
the ball off of a little curl into the lane,
has a chance to make a three point play. Unfortunately,
the layups a little bit off, but he makes both
he throws and that pulls Clemson back within nine with
two minutes and two seconds remaining. Louisville finally manages to
navigate Clempson's press. They get an alley up on the

(08:12):
other end to go up sixty four. Excuse me, seventy
four to sixty three with a minute fifty in the game.
Seems like it's over, But in like forty seconds, this
game is going to be a two point contest and
Clepson's going to have the ball. So following that alleyup

(08:34):
with about one point fifty left in the game, Clipson
in bounds. They bring it up the floor. They get
a quick three pointer from Chauncey Wiggins out of the corner. Finally,
a little life from Wiggins that makes it seventy four
sixty six. The Tigers are down eight again, the pressure
off of the defense with Chauncey Wiggins at the point

(08:55):
of the attack causing some trouble. Louisville gets fouled because
back to the free throw line. The Cardinals go one
for two at the free throw line Chase Hunter. The
Tigers bring it back down the court working around and
Hunter pops off of a screen catches a quick three
seventy five sixty nine with one point eighteen remaining, Clemson

(09:18):
calls a timeout. Louisville inbounds out of the time out
with one seventeen left, the ball is stripped. They end
up calling a foul on the Cardinals is Jaydon Zachary
is trying to retrieve the ball. That gives Clemson free
throw opportunities. Jayden Zachary makes both of them and that
cuts the lead to four at seventy five seventy one.

(09:41):
I mean, just like that, there's a minute and fourteen left,
and you got a ball game. And with a minute
and fifty three left, you were down eleven, and it
felt like you were left for dead the pressure defense,
and this could be big for Clemson what they found
without Dylan Hunter with a lit pressure defense. I don't

(10:01):
think it's gonna be the norm through the tournament, but
you might see it sporadically. So Zachary makes both free throws. Again,
Louisville scrambling, you get a deflection by Chase Hunter, who
ends up retrieving the ball in the back court, and
then Clemson holds onto the possession with one oh four left.
The fans are going absolutely ludicrous and the Tigers are

(10:25):
right back in it. The Tigers have to endbound because
the ball got knocked out of bounds, but Chase Hunter
takes it immediately, drives right down Broadway, gets to the hole,
makes the layup, and it's seventy five seventy three with
fifty four seconds remaining, so you can then play defense.
You don't have to press. But Brad Burnell tries to

(10:48):
call it off, but Clemson kind of stays in it.
I think they're just we're a little bit accustomed to it,
and that causes a lot of trouble for Louisville. Even
getting the ball over the half court line, they do
cross over. Then Clemson realizes, okay, we can settle in.
They lock in on defense. They're playing really good and

(11:08):
there's a what Teddy Valentine whose name will come up again,
And one of the biggest moments of the game is
Clempson is playing solid defense. There's a jump ball call
and it looks like the shot clock is going to
be reset, but that didn't end up happening, which benefited Clemson.
Could have just destroyed Clemson in that moment. Louisville ends
up out of the I think it was either a

(11:30):
timeout or view whatever. They end up having a shot
clock violation that gives Clempson the ball with twenty five
point two left down seventy five seventy three. Clemson advances
the ball to mid court. They call another time out,
twenty two seconds remaining. Jayden Zachary in bounds the basketball

(11:51):
to Jake Heidebreeder Hybrider gets the ball in the hands
to Chase Hunter, and then you get what you want.
You get a little slip screen from Ian Shefflin. You
get Chase driving downhill on the switch. He's foul bump hit,
no call. The ball is up in Hepburn's hands. Clemson
has the foul. With six seconds remaining, Louisville goes to

(12:12):
the line and they make one free throw to take
a seventy six to seventy three lead. Clemson would get
a late heave from Chase Hunter where Louisville was trying
to foul. You can make an argument that there should
have been a foul called on that play, but there
was not. What was incredible to me was the announcers
on the call, the announcers in the studio, virtually everyone

(12:37):
that saw that game said there should have been a
foul called on Louisville at the end of the ball game.
Now did Chase Hunter sell being hit when he was driving?
I think he did. But I also think that if
you look at it just for a moment here, okay,

(13:01):
and I hear a lot of people saying, oh, well,
he didn't really get hit. He was, you know, when
he threw his head back. But it wasn't the opponent's
arm that hit him in the head. It was his
own arm that hits him in the head because the
opponent runs into his side and forces his own arm
up into his head. That's where I thought the foul
should be called. But either way, with the way you

(13:24):
called the game with all the fouls that were called,
was there a sales job there by? Hunter? Absolutely, does
the best player on the court for Clemson deserve that call.
After the comeback that we saw in the contact that
took place in the paint, undoubtedly there should have been
a foul call there. But then the other one that

(13:46):
a lot of people have talked about is with six
seconds left, Clemson inbounds the ball, Louisville tries to foul,
hits Chase Hunter, he shoots a three, and there's no
call made. And that's the way it ended for Clemson. Now,
Louisville were going to lose to Duke in the ACC Championship,
and I know that was a lot of breaking down
the final three minutes of action. But you know, when

(14:07):
you play poorly for thirty seven minutes, which I thought
Clemson didn't, but part of that certainly Louisville, and then
you play great for the final three, you give yourself
a chance. My biggest issue with the whole thing though,
is I don't think. I just don't think if that's

(14:27):
a star North Carolina player, that call is not made.
If that's Cooper Flagg, I just don't think that call
is not made, and that's why you have to make
that call. And you could say, well, let the players
settle it on the court. Swanee, don't you want the
players to settle it on the court? I do, I
absolutely do. But I also feel like settling the game
on the court is the downhill drive to the basket

(14:48):
by your star player getting hit with contact. That's a
part of the game. And so to me, that was a,
you know, the key moment, and Clemson earned it. That's
the other thing. They earned that opportunity by playing well
down the stretch. And if if Chase Hunter goes to
the free throw line and misses the free throws there

(15:08):
or misses one or two and you lose, you know what,
that's leaving it in the hands of the players. But
to not call it to me, Teddy Valentine, I just
I don't know. He's he's been around for thirty years.
He's always kind of been anti Clemson. I believe he
lives in Charleston, and I'm gonna throw this. I'm I'm
gonna just throw this out there if he does live

(15:30):
in Charleston. Okay, my nephew is an official, all right,
and not a college official, but a high school official.
He does a good job, does a great job. But
if you were reffing the high school he went to,
if you were reffing a Barnwell game, I would imagine
in his head now and again this is me. If
I were him, I'm gonna put myself in issues because

(15:52):
I can't really speak for him. I would think this, Okay,
I'm not gonna give Barnwell any call that would press
make the perception that I am benefiting my high school. Thus,
if there's a play down the stretch that is fifty
to fifty, I'm more likely to lean in on the

(16:14):
team that I didn't attend that high school. Well, in
that situation, you are inherently biasing yourself against your homeschool
where you went to school. So let's say Teddy Valentine
believes that if he protects Clemson because he lives in

(16:34):
the state or whatever, it looks bad, then inherently you
might be going against Clemson by trying not to go
for Clemson or make a call that helps Clemson. So
therein lies my frustration with the final game for Clemson
at the ACC Tournament. And again I was incredibly frustrated

(16:58):
with that, but then incredibly excited about Clempson's bracket. They
end up in the Midwest region. They'll play in Providence,
Rhode Island. They'll go against McNeese State. They'll take on
Will Wade, a former student assistant, former grat assistant at
Clemson under Larry Schiatt and Oliver Purnell. Well, here's some
of what Will Wade had to say about facing Clemson

(17:19):
in a little bit tip off for the Tigers three
point fifteen on Thursday on True TV. But they draw
the region with Houston the number one seed Houston. They've
got eight seed Gonzaga to nine seed Georgia. They've got
a four seed Purdue and a thirteen seed high Point.
And as I noted earlier this month, Houston has been

(17:43):
eliminated twice in the NCAA Tournament by lower seeded teams
out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. I think Clemson and
Houston have a great chance to match up in this
Midwest region. Just eyeballing at where we are right now.
In the bottom half of their bracket. You've got Illinois
is the sixth seed. You've got Kentucky, who Clempson beat
in the regular season as a three seed facing Troy.

(18:05):
You've got UCLA as a seventh seed taking on Utah
State a ten seed, and you've got Tennessee Rick Barnes
as the two seed facing the Wafferd Terriers. All of
those teams in that Midwest region. And I really like
Clemson's chances here to get to the Sweet sixteen and
battle Houston for the right to get to the Elite eight,

(18:28):
which could potentially set up a matchup as much as
Clemson and make me State is awesome. How about Clemson
versus Tennessee for the right to go to the Final four?
Clemson versus Rick Barnes. How about that? So again, we'll
look at the other regions as it came as they

(18:48):
came out last night. Again, certainly frustrating for Clemson Tiger
fans to see that come from behind, when all the
things that went well end up being taken away, lack
of a call on your star player being hit at
the you know, right at the basket, right at the rim.
But I think more than anything, minus Dylan Hunter, I

(19:11):
think you might have seen Clemson learn a little bit
about themselves and the way they might have to play
a little bit. Not the whole game just to help
themselves manufacture some points because you're not really getting any
consistency at all from right now, Del Jones, Jake High Breeder,
and then Chauncey Wiggins. I think Wiggins is gonna be
key in the tournament. You just got to get a

(19:34):
little bit from the other guys, and you have to
hope that over the next couple of days Clemson can
come up with a game plan that helps guys like
Hyde Breeder be more effective because he was just awful
up in Charlotte. All right, quick, Bret, We'll take a
look at the rest of the bracket. As the Auburn
Tigers are the number one overall seed in the South,
Duke ends up in the East is the number one seed,

(19:54):
Florida in the West is the one seed, and again
Houston in the Midwest with your Tigers, stay with us.
Clemson Sports thought the show The shakespare south Land on
a Monday afternoon, again reacting to the NC Double A
Tournament bracket. As I mentioned earlier, the number one seed
the Auburn Tigers. But we talked a lot about Clemson.
We'll hear more from Brad Brown now, or we will

(20:17):
hear from Brad Brown now coming up in just a
little bit, as he met with the media yesterday following
the announcement of the NC DOUBLEA Tournament bracket. But you know,
looking around, we'll start with Auburn's region the top seed
in the tournament, pulling the South Region together. No surprises there,

(20:39):
as good as they have been all year. Maybe the
bigger surprise was the fact that Duke went on to
win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and Auburn was defeated
by Tennessee and eliminated from the SEC tournament before Florida
took care of Tennessee yesterday. But Auburn winds up with

(21:01):
the number one seed, Duke currently the number one team
in the country. Nonetheless, Auburn will face off with the
winner in a sixteen seed first four matchup between Alabama
State and Saint Francis. Saint Francis out of Pennsylvania. That
matchup coming up tomorrow at six forty pm on True TV,

(21:25):
So Auburn versus the winner of that game. The winner
there in the South region, these matchups taking place in Lexington, Kentucky.
It'll be the Louisville Cardinals, the eighth seed who played
for the ACC Tournament championship versus Creighton, the nine seed
then out in Denver, the fifth seeded Michigan Wolverines, fresh

(21:47):
off of winning the Big Ten Championship, will face twelfth
seeded UC San Diego, while four seeded Texas A and
M we'll face off with thirteenth seeded Yale. Now, just
looking at the upper half of the South Region based
off the way they've played this season, I really like
the Auburn Tigers making a nice run there. I will

(22:10):
say if Louisville advances past Creighton, the Cardinals, their guard
play might give Auburn some trouble in that second round matchup,
But you just never know. At this point in the season,
it tends to be dictated by great guard play, and
who knows, maybe Louisville if they get there, perhaps the
Cardinals can shock Auburn in the second round. In the
lower half of the South Region, they'll be playing in Milwaukee,

(22:34):
as it'll be six seeded Old Miss taking on the
winner of San Diego State and North Carolina. The tar Heels,
as I noted earlier, one of the last teams. As
a matter of fact, the last team in the NCAA tournament.
They'll battle for an eleventh seed spot in those first
four games coming up. Then you've got third seeded Iowa

(22:55):
State versus fourteen seeded limpscumventh seeded CT versus tenth seeded
New Mexico in second seeded Michigan State versus fifteenth seeded Bryant.
The Bulldogs make it into the tournament twenty three and eleven.
Mike Eva, we talked about Bryant last week. Michigan State, though,
how about how about the Spartans twenty seven to six.

(23:19):
A little under the radar for sure as a two seed.
I don't know a lot of people have seen them
play this year, and they kind of had fallen off
a little bit under tom Izzo and the Mind's eye people.
But right there as a two seed, I think it's
a really good region for them, a great or a
quadrant or whatever you're gonna call it for Michigan State.

(23:41):
Would not be surprised to see Michigan State make a
nice run here as well. If North Carolina gets in.
If they were to beat San Diego State, that would
set up Old Miss out of the SEC versus North Carolina. Hey,
that's one of those games, you know, when we talk
about the ACC SEC Challenge that took place earlier this year.

(24:01):
They got beat by Alabama, But what an opportunity if
they were to get into the NCAA tournament officially, because
you know, I don't really consider first four games official.
I get it, you're not in the n More on
that in a little bit, but it's it's not the
NCAA Tournament until they're sixty four in in my opinion,

(24:23):
and anybody that's picking their brackets right now, you are
a madman. You are a madman. But that's a quick
look at the South Region. The South Region matches up
with the West Region. The top seed in the West
the Florida Gators, the champions of the SEC tournament thirty
and four this season. A bit of a surprise for sure,

(24:44):
but man, what a fun team to watch. Got a
chance to watch a little bit of their ballgame against
Tennessee yesterday. They will take on sixteen seated Norfolk State.
The winner of that game will face the winner of
Yukon and Oklahoma out of the SEC. And that's one
of the things we see throughout this tournament, because there
were fourteen SEC teams in. You typically try to avoid

(25:09):
matchups between conference foes until the Sweet sixteen historically, but
when you put fourteen teams in, it's impossible to avoid
that fate. It just really doesn't work out because of
the seed line. So a chance that you could see
in all SEC round, second round matchup between Florida and Oklahoma,
and that is the case in a couple of other

(25:31):
spots in the tournament, if I remember correctly from watching
it on TV on Sunday. But we'll dive back into
that a little bit more. And just a little bit
by the way, I think I skipped the venues on
some of those regions real quick. The South region where
Old Miss is playing, that's Milwaukee. In the South where
Michigan State is that'll be in Cleveland. These games out

(25:53):
West Florida's teams will be playing there in Raleigh. And
then these games that I'm talking about right here, fifth
seed to Memphis versus Colorado State, the twelfth seed, these
will be out in Seattle. Four seeded Maryland and thirteen
seeded Grand Canyon round out that grouping. And again I
like the Florida Gators.

Speaker 2 (26:12):
Now.

Speaker 1 (26:12):
An interesting development, of course of Yukon back to back
national champion beats Oklahoma, you'd get Florida, one of the
top teams in the tournament, versus Yukon in the second round.
But again I like the Gators to do pretty well
there in the South Rea, excuse me. In the West region,
in the bottom half of the West region, six seed

(26:33):
to Missouri will take on Drake. These games will be
played in which tai Kansas, third seed of Texas Tech.
We'll face off with UNC Wilmington the fourteenth seed there,
and then in Providence, Rhode Island, the same BENU Clemson
will be playing in. You'll have seventh seeded Kansas taking
on ten seed at Arkansas and second seeded Saint John's

(26:56):
taking on Omaha. So that's in the West regional. But
that's the Providence matchup, and that's the way they do
it now. They try to regionalize these games, not necessarily
by the West regions are all played in the West
or whatever. So again, we talked pretty extensively about that

(27:19):
Midwest region with Clemson a little bit earlier. All Right,
we're up against a break. I'll tell you when we
come back, we'll wrap up the final quadrant, if you will.
We'll take a look at the East region, where the
Duke Blue Devils are the top team. Stay with us,
the show that shakes the south Land. Clemson Sports on

(27:39):
a Monday talked about the NCAA Tournament. We looked extensively
at that Midwest region to open things up. That's where
Clemson finds itself being the fifth seed in the portion
of the bracket with top seed at Houston. We'll get
back to that for sure during the week as we
close in on that game. But let's finish up the

(28:02):
East region. We'll get going there. The Duke Blue Devils,
they'll be playing in Raleigh thirty one. In three, they'll
take on the winner of American or Mount Saint Mary's.
They'll face off with the winner of the eight to
nine matchup between Mississippi State and Baylor. Then out in Seattle,

(28:25):
Oregon's the fifth seed, they'll take on twelve seeded Liberty,
and they'll face the winner of four seeded Arizona in
thirteen seeded Akron and an Oregon Arizona matchup former Pac
twelve foes. Potentially in that second round could be a
really good one, depending on and again Duke did say.

(28:45):
Duke did come out and say that their Star Cooper
flag will be available for the NCAA tournament. It will
be interesting to see if he plays in game one.
That second round matchup could be the one where he's
kind of having to get the rust off, if you will,
before maybe facing either Arizona or Oregon in the sweet sixteen.

(29:10):
And then for the final four pairings, if you will,
the final eight teams in that East Region out in Denver,
six seeded BYU will face off against VCU, the eleventh seed,
while Wisconsin the third seed, faces off with Montana. Then

(29:35):
in Cleveland, your final two matchups. Here, Saint Mary's out
of California is the seventh seed. They will face off
with Vanderbilt the tenth seed, and second seeded Alabama will
face off with fifteenth seeded Robert Morris so Alabama and

(29:59):
Van Dy potentially as a second round matchup, assuming the
Commodores can beat Saint Mary's, who is a surprising seventh
seed to me. But anyway, just kind of eyeballing in.
I don't did I say, just looking at that bracket
and here in Saint Mary's again, I did say that
Duke will face the winner of American or Mount Saint Mary's. Right,

(30:23):
that's one of those sixteen seed playing games that I
don't consider a playing game. And again, the other playing
game is that Texas Xavier matchup the eleventh seed that
will slide in against the fighting A Lion I in
the Midwest region Clemson's region on the opposite side though,

(30:48):
of the bracket. The only way, you know, it's so
hard to describe these brackets when you're talking about, you know,
each region having sixteen teams and then trying to like
impress upon the listeners. It's hard enough when it's on
television to impress upon Okay, these are the eight teams

(31:13):
at the top of that region, and these are the
eight teams at the bottom of that region. But anyway,
you know, that's the four regions. Again, I really like
Clemson's draw. I thought it was incredible, as I said earlier,
when Clark Kellogg came off the top ropes and put

(31:36):
Clemson in the final four, Clemson versus Duke facing off
against the winner of Florida and Michigan State, and he
had the Tigers advancing past the Blue Devils. Again, as
I said earlier, I don't know if he realized Dylan
Hunter got hurt. That seemed to be a huge factor

(31:58):
for Clemson, but it can't hurt It can't hurt your
school's reputation nationally in the homes of kids across the
country watching college basketball to see that Tiger Paul in
the national championship, and I would be thankful just to

(32:18):
make another run to the Elite eight. And I would
be incredibly gracious for an opportunity to make a run
to the Final four. This Clemson Tiger team, though, will
have to between now and tip off on Thursday against
bmcnise State a three point fifteen tip off. They're gonna

(32:41):
have to figure out, I think, how to best play
minus Dylan Hunter, and how to keep Chauncey Wiggins confident
and on the court. At the beginning of the season,
when Wiggins was starting and playing quite a bit, I

(33:01):
talked about how much I liked his versatility, and that
has not changed. Chauncey Wiggins has the ability to guard
multiple positions. But I think right now, and I think
it's a pretty good observation that most people have made

(33:23):
watching him, he just doesn't seem to be in the
right place between his ears. And I don't know if
that came from being benched. You know, some guys can't
handle that. But now with Dylan Hunter out, I think
the majority of the work's gonna fall into Chauncey Wiggins's lap. Now,

(33:45):
you might in the opener against McNee State, you might
get away with Jake Heidebreeder playing more minutes. You might
get away with Del Jones getting more minutes. I think
so as you get further into this tournament, and I've
always felt this way, you begin to narrow down your

(34:06):
rotation and taking Dylan Hunter out certainly hurts the Clemson
Tigers immensely. He's not as big a cog in the
scoring system as his brother, but he is a huge
cog in the facilitation aspect of this Clemson Tiger offense.

(34:28):
The best thing for Clemson, however, is that they get
several days to figure it out and to try to
And it's not like you're working with new clay. It's
just that you've got to kind of remold what you've
been working with in order to make it suit the situation.

(34:50):
But as I said out of the gates, I love
Clemson's draw. I talked about Houston a couple of weeks ago.
I think the Tigers have a really good chance to
make some noise, and I don't completely disagree with Clark
Kellogg's assessment of it all. I'm just shocked that somebody
like Clark Kellogg would say it on National DV Final Segment,
Hour one. Right around the band Stay with Us final

(35:12):
segment of Our Number one coming up, William Kwalkinbush joins
the program. We'll talk with him about Clemson's path in
the NCAA Tournament. They will open play against McNeese State
out of Louisiana. The twelve seed, Yeah, twelve five matchup
has historically been a rough one. Clemson, by the way,

(35:37):
it really looked like they were gonna end up being
a four seed. I don't know if you'd prefer the
four seed draws. Just to give you an idea, Texas
A and M would have been against Yale. That's a
four seed matchup. Arizona versus Akron is a four to thirteen.
Kentucky and Troy is a four to thirteen, and Texas

(35:58):
Tech and UNC Wilmington is a four to thirteen. I mean,
I think those are more favorable, but not like extremely
more favorable if Clemson plays well. But the thing about
it is man Will Wade during his time as an
assistant at BCU, at BCU, at Chattanooga, at LSU, etc. Man,

(36:20):
he's done a really good job. But it all started
for will Wade at Clemson as he was a Clemson student.
He was a student, a student manager on the basketball team,
ended up being a grad assistant at Clemson. And we'll
hear more. We'll hear a good bit from Will Wade
tomorrow on the program. But Will Wade was asked about

(36:43):
playing against his alma mater, Clemson. Here's what he had
to say after that news came out yesterday afternoon.

Speaker 3 (36:51):
I went to Clemson their team. I follow both in football, basketball, baseball,
all sports. But it'll be a tough matchup. No, I mean, shoot,
first time I hear that fight song, you know, me
twirl my arm for the O N. But no, I'm
just joking. I mean, look, it's I've been gone a
long time. I graduated in five is or something like that.

(37:14):
I mean, I've been gone a long time, and I
was on staff there a couple of years, so I've
been going a long time.

Speaker 4 (37:19):
I follow the football.

Speaker 3 (37:20):
Program very closely. Y'all all know that we don't practice
when they play football, so you know, but I've been.
I've been gone a long time and and it's a
great place, great people. I know, I know a lot
of folks there still and all my college friends. I'm sure.
I'm sure my phone will will have some beautiful messages,
uh when I check them. So but yeah, it's a

(37:43):
it's a great place. But once that ball goes up, man,
I'm all McNeice.

Speaker 1 (37:48):
So that's Will Wade, head coach of McNee State, talking
about facing off with the Tigers. We'll talk more about
Wade here on the program in a little bit, but
a couple of things. What was in your mind the
most the most striking thing about that, Not that they

(38:10):
don't practice when Clemson's playing football, Not that he made
the comment about when they you know, see el he
you know he was gonna fire up. Then how about
how long it took him to remember what year he
graduated from Clemson. Now I get it, everybody in our

(38:32):
listening audience is not a Clemson graduate. But isn't that
a pretty instantaneous thing for you? And if I say,
hey Bob, what year did you graduate Clemson? It was
nineteen seventy two. Hey Terry, where heard you graduate from Clemson? Swani?
It was nineteen eighty three. He looked at the sky

(38:56):
as if he had to calculate in his mind what
year he graduated from Clemson. Now, I couldn't really tell
you what you are graduated from grad school. I do
not remember that. But I wear a ring every day

(39:19):
that has my year I graduated college on it. And
even if I didn't, I don't think that's one that
I would forget. I know what you are graduated high school.
I know what you are graduated college. That just, to me,
rang is a funny moment. Now, it is going to
be interesting to see Clemson going up against will Wade

(39:45):
because he's He's kind of been a guy that when
Clemson struggled under Brad Brown. Now, given his track record
and the success he's had, people have brought his name
up as a potential replacement for Brad Brownell he's a

(40:07):
young coach. The issues that he had at LSU, though,
bring a ton of baggage. And if you don't recall,
Will Wade was caught on an FBI wiretap prior to
the NIL becoming a thing that was legal, you know,

(40:28):
offering kids money to come to school and play ball,
and that got him fired and he ended up sitting
out a year and then ends up at McNee state
and trying to rebuild his name, image and likeness. Ironically,
and his name has been mentioned and rumored around the

(40:50):
North Carolina State job. And I'm sure if Brad Brownell
at the end of this season were decided that he's
going to go to Indiana, there would be a contingent
of Clemson fans that would want to bring in will Wade.
I would make the argument even more so if McNeice

(41:10):
were to beat Clemson on Thursday and Brad Brownell were
to leave, it would almost be unheard of to not
have Clemson fans saying, man, we gotta bring this guy in.
And yes, there's the baggage that comes along with it,
but he's young. He is a notable name in this business.

(41:34):
He's done a tremendous job pretty much everywhere he's been.
You look at McNeice, they went from twenty three losses
the year before he got there to going thirty and
four a year ago and twenty seven and six this season.

(41:55):
And to make it even more impressive, he called his
shot during his opening press conference, I can't wait.

Speaker 5 (42:02):
To start the largest turnaround in college basketball this next season.
We're gonna go from twenty three losses to twenty three
plus wins next year. Remember I said that, And we're
gonna start that today. We're gonna start that today.

Speaker 1 (42:16):
I mean, that's incredible, It's absolutely incredible. All right, we'll
talk more about that situation. Plus Clipson's lost to Louisville
and William Qualkabish around the Bend. Stay with us each
time Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Swan. Swanny, it is

(43:09):
our number two. That's drivetime rater on the show The Shakes,
the South layand Clemson Sports tal log Swine hanging out
with you. William qualkin Bush joins us here on a
Monday afternoon, as he always does. Of course, you can
listen to William qualkin Bush each and every afternoon from
noon until three o'clock out of the Bounds with qualcom

(43:30):
bim one oh five to five the Roar in the Upstate.
He's on Twitter at qualk Talk. But don't forget this show,
The Show The Shakes the south Land, Clemson Sports Talk,
brought to you in part by our friends over at
Mets Plumbing seven three to two Drip Drip, Drip, Oh
that was that was not good. Let me try mets

(43:50):
plumbing seven three two drip, drip drip. There you go,
that's better. Mets plumbing seven three to two drip. All right, qualk,
it's a big guy, welcome in. How are you my man?

Speaker 2 (44:02):
It swanny.

Speaker 6 (44:03):
I'm doing great. It's a it's a happy Monday, a
lot of good vibes.

Speaker 7 (44:07):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (44:08):
You know, sports worlds pretty uh pretty well, wide open.

Speaker 2 (44:11):
Hope you're doing well.

Speaker 1 (44:12):
I am, I am. You know, it's funny when you
you have like a controversial finish like Clympson did against
Louisville and the ACC tournament, but then before guys like
you and I can get on the radio to talk
about the controversy there. Certainly we have the outlet with
social media. You and I were both tweeting about the
finish of that ballgame at the ACC tournament. But then

(44:35):
you you turn around and you get an NCAA selection,
you get a match up against McNee State, and then
you're like, I can't even decompress from the loss because
I feel like I got to talk about the tournament.
Does that make sense?

Speaker 2 (44:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (44:50):
I mean, look, it's one of those things where like
so much has happened since we last were together with
our audience that you know it it may It does
make it difficult to prioritize because, like you said, on
the one hand, it's a celebratory day because Clemson gets
a five seed. It's inarguably I think it's the best
regular season in Clemson history. I think it's in arguably

(45:13):
one of the best seasons in Clemson history. Five seed
is an outrageously good accomplishment, particularly.

Speaker 2 (45:18):
For this program.

Speaker 6 (45:19):
On you know, on on top of it, the sixth
seed that they got last year, you know, it's it's
the best two year run in the history of the program.
Or again, arguably you could you could you know, Rick
Barnes had a couple of good years, Cliffs had a
couple of.

Speaker 1 (45:33):
No argument to me quall, these are the best two
years consecutively Clemson's ever had.

Speaker 6 (45:39):
I mean, and I feel like some of it is
gonna be you know, like Rick Barnes had two good
years and then they got bounced in the first round
the second year. You know, like the Clemson I don't
believe I think only one time in school history have
they won a game in the NCAA Tournament.

Speaker 2 (45:53):
In consecutive years. I think that was an eighty nine
to ninety if I remember.

Speaker 6 (45:55):
Right, So like that you can you can cement it
right now. You know, if you lose them in the state,
maybe some of the warm fuzzy goes away from that standpoint.
But yes, I would agree with you up to this point.
Best two years in school history, bar none. Now with
that being said, you've got all those celebratory vibes. Just
like three days ago, there was a controversial finish in

(46:18):
a game that I think, I mean, I just think it.
If you're a Clemson fan with any sort of history
to you, like if you're an older listener right now,
that is just par for the course for what you
have experienced watching Clemson basketball for seventy years in this
god forsaken conference. My tweet at the end of the
game was.

Speaker 2 (46:38):
Refile the lawsuit.

Speaker 6 (46:40):
I mean that, I totally mean it. Like, I think
Clemson got everything they wanted out of the lawsuit, but
I think one of the things that they got was
that they got the right to leave. And now I'm
just feeling petty and so now I just want the
ACC to pay for this garbage because for seventy years,
Clemson has not really had a fair chance to win
this week. Right, There's a reason that like Maryland goes

(47:02):
on miracle runs, NC State goes on miracle runs. You
have teams of Miami goes on a miracle run. They
were Louisville fans who are telling me, well, we've been
kicked for ten years in this league. I'm like, bro,
you don't know the half of it. Okay, I'm thirty
five years old. The ACC hasn't given a flip about
Clemson basketball one time in thirty five years.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
And it's just it's.

Speaker 6 (47:20):
The piling on and piling on in piling one. It's
the there is only one team in the Atlantic Coast
Conference that would be locked out of the locker room
in an ACC semi final. One that would never happen
to Duke. That would never happen to Virginia, that would
never happen in North Carolina, that would never happen to
NC State or Wake Forest. It would never happen to

(47:40):
anyone except Clemson. Clinton has routinely gotten a chef in
this tournament. The Duke game a number of years ago
with Broadhall is a perfect example. And this is my
final thing on Matt Swane to me. And this is
not about seventy years. This is more about just what
happens to Clemson. I mean, it's an amazing amount of
time to have never gotten the benefit of a controversy
in the event. And there's not one Clemson fan that

(48:02):
could point you to.

Speaker 2 (48:03):
Or a fan another.

Speaker 6 (48:03):
Program that could point you to one time where their
team got screwed or Clemson got the benefit of a
controversial call at the end of a basketball game at
the a SEC Tournament, regardless of that, you had a
first half where ten fouls were called. Thirty one fouls
were called in the second half of that game, including
eighteen on Clemson, the team that was not more physical.

Speaker 2 (48:23):
I'm sorry, Louisville.

Speaker 6 (48:25):
Was more physical. Now, Louisville was also more physical offensively.
I thought Corey Alexander, this is a rarity for me
to say. I thought he made an excellent point that
Clemson was going to the basket trying to draw foul
and Louisville was going to the basket trying to score.
And when you're going to the basket trying to score,
it means you're probably gonna get more calls. I would

(48:46):
also argue that if you're going to the basket. Trying
to draw fouls is because you're.

Speaker 2 (48:50):
Being fouled and they're not being called.

Speaker 6 (48:52):
So bottom line, I thought that the way the game
is officiated in the second half, we're almost forty percent
of possessions ended in a foul, Almost forty percent of
possessions ended in a foul of some.

Speaker 2 (49:04):
Of some kind.

Speaker 6 (49:05):
That the fact that Chase Hunter didn't get the benefit
of either one of those foul calls is a travesty.
I don't even care the Louisville fans are telling me
that it's not a foul, or he flopped, he threw
his head back, whatever, thirty one fouls CHUCKI Hepbert never
sold a call, Terrence Edward Junior never sold a call.
None of those guys ever sold a call in the
second half. That's what I'm saying. I'm not I don't

(49:26):
even need you to tell me whether it was a
foul or not. I believe both of those were fouls.
I believe when the coach is yelling foul and the
guys trying to foul. I told somebody this yesterday on
the three point shot that Chase Hunter had at the
buzzer Swanee that to me, if Chase Hunter takes an
extra dribble, throws up a shot, Banks in at three
and we go to overtime, Louisville's pissed because they were

(49:48):
trying to foul. The fact that they were trying to
foul and didn't get the call is even worse, I
think than the play going to the basket, because you
have Pat Kelsey yelling for a foul and you had
a guy clearly trying to fole, and they still didn't
get the call. That's what people are said about. It's
seventy years of frustration.

Speaker 1 (50:05):
It's that this.

Speaker 6 (50:06):
Seemed like a very good chance for Clemson to win it.
It's the way the game is being officiated in the
second half, and it just when Clemson needed things to
go exactly as it had been going for the rest
of the game. Of course the acc doesn't come through.
That is seventy years of history right there.

Speaker 1 (50:22):
On Twitter at qual talk. So how important are the
next couple of days as Clemson adjust to not having
Dylan Hunter in the lineup. I mean, you know, I
tried to kind of put my mind in the fact
that the thirty six and a half minutes of action
up at the AEC Tournament where Clemson struggled versus the

(50:43):
final three and a half where they played great. You
know part of that was Dylan Hunter not being there?
How much of it?

Speaker 2 (50:51):
You know?

Speaker 1 (50:51):
How significant is this little window to kind of get
accustomed to not having him in the rotation.

Speaker 6 (51:00):
Well, it's interesting you bring that up, because I was
sort of thinking about this the other day. I first
of all, I think it is a crushing blow to Clemson.
We've talked about some of the metrics that have Clemson's
current starting five or I guess starting five with Dylan
Hunter in there, as the most deficient in terms of
in terms of offensive versus defensive efficiency, the most efficient
five man lineup in college basketball, more than any Cooper

(51:22):
Flag lineup, etc. And so I actually tweeted on Friday
that I thought that Clemson would miss Dylan Hunter.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
More than Duke miss Cooper Flag.

Speaker 6 (51:29):
You think that was prescient because I do, because I
watched Clemson role players and they flatly stunk. And that,
to me is the biggest thing Swanny that Clemson can
scheme all day long without Dylan Hunter. I actually think defensively,
they did a pretty good job without Dylan because they
were able to sort of manipulate some things on that
side of the ball. But if Chauncey Wiggins plays like

(51:50):
he did the first thirty seven minutes, if Jake hide
Breeder is a total zero on the floor, I mean
gave you absolutely nothing missed. Every shot was getting abused defensively.
If Dell Jones looks like a freshman and looks like
the game is way too fast for him in the moment,
is way too big for him. If Miles Foster and
Christian Reeves are combined for one minute on the floor,

(52:10):
you are not winning without Dylan Hunter, point blank period.
I think you know you can scheme all you want to,
but I just I think your role players have to
give you something because here's the bottom line. Okay, Like
Louisville's players played really well. I thought like Louisville's team
played okay. But their players played well, they made tough plays,

(52:31):
They were not efficient. The efficiency from Louisville came from
the role players. You had Scott who was like three
for three from the floor. All right, Now, that's not
that big of a deal except for your in a
three point game, right, Clemson's role players did nothing. They
were totally inefficient, totally ineffective, more turnovers than made baskets.
You can't play that way. And so that's the biggest

(52:53):
thing is Clemson's players have to go play now. I'm
also gonna say it like this, I think the toughest
thing about a Brad Brown l team in a turn
ornament like this is if you get past your first game,
you have to prepare for him in twenty four hours.
I actually think Clemson has to do that very same
thing that I be I'm talking about Clinton's opponent's not
been able to do in terms of scheming for a
tough opponent. I think they have to do it for

(53:14):
themselves in a very short amount of time, Like they
have two days to figure out how do they want
to function without Dylan Hunter on the floor at all,
what do they want to run, what do they want
to throw out? I actually think that's as important as
the scout of McNee State for Clemson, because the offense
certainly was not where it needed to be, Particularly early

(53:35):
in that second half. I felt like Clemson got really
really frustrated. Chase Hunter started trying to play hero ball
that was obviously not going to work the way.

Speaker 2 (53:44):
He was shooting it until the very end of the game.

Speaker 6 (53:46):
So yeah, I mean, I think the way Clemson sort
of self scouts and self assesses and the ass of
the Dalan Hunter is as are more important than what
Clemson does in response to what they.

Speaker 2 (53:55):
Think mcniche State is going to do.

Speaker 1 (53:57):
On Twitter at Talk, William qualkinbush with this here, let's
turn our attention to that Midwest region. Qualk We've got
like a family group chat. I'm sure most people out
there have some sort of family group chat. And you know,
my sister Garnett, my nephew Daniel, and Will's mom, well,
my other sister asking the group chat, how are we
feeling about the bracket? And I was just kind of,

(54:18):
you know, give a little hyperbole. I said, oh, book
your flight to San Antonio Final four, baby, you know,
And of course my sister Wita, she gets all jacked up.
What you hear is that She's like, really, are you serious?
And I'm like, no, I do like the draw. And
Garnett said lot, and you're drinking the kool aid. But
then moments later, Clark Kellogg says, Clemson to the finals. Okay,

(54:41):
do you like Clemson's draw? And certainly the intrigue surrounding
playing against McNeice slash McNee state, whatever you want to
call him, and we'll wave former Clemson student manager and
grad assistant.

Speaker 6 (54:55):
Well, let's take a look at this, Okay, I think
we need to. I think we need to understand the
possibility you're a five seed, which means in order to
like your draw, you have to like your twelve seed
in relation to other twelve seeds.

Speaker 2 (55:07):
So let's look at the other twelve seeds. Okay, these
are the teams that Clinton could have played.

Speaker 6 (55:11):
I don't want any part of you see San Diego,
particularly without Dylan Hunter, because they are gonna run and trap.
They've got size. I think you see San Diego is
a very good team.

Speaker 2 (55:20):
I don't love Liberty.

Speaker 6 (55:22):
Maybe I would have wanted to play Liberty over McNeese State.
They did win a tougher league that McNeese did in
Conference USA, so there's something to be said for that.
And then Colorado State is a Nico medved team that
I think is underseeded at twelve that's playing their best
ball at.

Speaker 2 (55:36):
The end of the year. So like if I were
you know, if I were at.

Speaker 6 (55:40):
If you were to ask me which twelve seed would
you rather play, I'd say Liberty one, and then probably
McNeice two. Okay, that's the start. I also think Houston
is the most vulnerable one seed because they are particularly
if you're a good defensive team, which Clinson is, they
are due for a clunker in the tournament where they
go three for twenty eight from three, right they you

(56:01):
know they They also they're a very good offensive team
as well, Don't get me wrong. Other than Auburn, who
I think is just not playing great down the stretch
and maybe is a little bit bored by the action,
I think Houston if you're talking about a potential matchup
in the sweet sixteen, uh.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
That is a pretty good draw.

Speaker 6 (56:16):
But going backwards, I mean Clemson's Clemson's four seed, Purdue,
I think it's a great matchup. I'll I'll play Purdue
any day. I Purdue's interior defense is terrible, so I'm
not even sure producing gonna be high point honestly, because
they like it is. I'm not even talking about terrible
relative deternity. I'm talking about terrible relative to ten win teams.
They're awful inside without Zach Edy and a and an

(56:38):
interior presence so uh, and I think Clemson defensively can
really bother Braydon Smith and h and those guards. So
I say all that to say I don't think McNeice
is a like a ah Man, lock it up, you know, uh,
let's let's get ready for Purdue or High Point. But
I do think there are a couple of things to
like about McNee state in the first round match. The

(57:00):
first is that they are kind of small, right, they
don't have a great big point guard. One of their
point guards on five to eleven. I think they're tallest players,
like six'. Nine so from a side, STANDPOINT i Think
Victor lockin is gonna have a really good time if
they can get in the ball in the. POST i
Think Ian shefflin will have a good time. Too they're
gonna press a little, bit which means if you attack that,

(57:21):
press you're gonna get, baskets WHICH i. Love that that's
The Will wade shakasmart. Alentrepreneur that's that's that sort of
sort of aggressive attacking. Style and then the third thing
is that you Know clinton Doesn't they don't rebound. Great
but LIKE i, said with the size, ADVANTAGE i feel
like McNeice is gonna be be vulnerable to second chance

(57:42):
opportunities For Ian. SHEFFLIN i just think it's a great
matchup For clinton's. Bigs LIKE i, said Without Dylan, hunter
the pressure bothers me a little, bit and the niece
have some guards they can go. Off But clinton should
be able to win that.

Speaker 1 (57:53):
Game, YEAH i think, Too like when you think About
Shaka smart's track, Record Will wade's track, record you, KNOW
i think the fact that there's a little connection to
those teams via their time At, clemson you. Know AND
i don't Think clemson never faced off With Shaka, smart
BUT i don't think it's Like Will wade and McNeese

(58:14):
state's gonna like sneak up on The. Tigers does that
make sense because there's a little more uh familiarity, Perhaps
does that make?

Speaker 2 (58:22):
Sense?

Speaker 6 (58:24):
Yeah AND i, listen you, know the the video is
being shared about you, know, Uh Will wade like they
don't practice When clemson plays.

Speaker 2 (58:32):
Football, right, right that's.

Speaker 6 (58:34):
GOOD i mean that that's pretty, cool right that you've
got you've got to coach that's this out there like
very openly saying. That AND i would also tell you,
this LIKE i was told that so this there's a
little bit of backstory. Here so LIKE i was told
years ago That Will wade would never take The clemson
job because he was here and he understood that other
places fund and support and believe in basketball more Than clemson.

Speaker 2 (58:54):
Does well NOW i think that has changed a little.
Bit and so Like clemson fans.

Speaker 6 (58:59):
And one point we're clamoring For Will wade to be
their coaches recently is LIKE i don't, know a year,
ago When clemson got bounced in The Agency tournament By
Boston college and they thought they're gonna be one and,
done everybody in the world's Picking New mexico to beat
him in the first. ROUND i think Will, wade if
this job came, OPEN i think he would want. It
AND i also know That Brad brandell and his staff
they do not like the, cheating the, slimy the, living

(59:25):
the gray or the black recruiting tactics right that they
feel have actually held them back while.

Speaker 2 (59:30):
They're doing it the right.

Speaker 6 (59:31):
Way so, like you have this relationship Between Will wade And,
clemson BUT i think you also have this sort of
quasi relationship Between.

Speaker 2 (59:38):
Will wade And Brad. Branell in other, words this is
one way to do this very above.

Speaker 6 (59:43):
Board LIKE i, mean if you Recall Steve smith was
fired for being in a room where other people did
some shady stuff and not even really doing shady stuff
himself along with LIKE i, mean he Misled brad about
a recruiting.

Speaker 2 (59:55):
Visit but if you.

Speaker 6 (59:56):
Recall that when A hbo Documenter, ginna that's how squeaky
Clean BRAD i know's program. Is and then you Have Will,
wade Who i've said. THIS i think if you want
to Hire Will WADE Nc state or somebody else down the,
line that you can justify that by saying a lot
of this stuff he Got pop four is now legal
and he probably is good at, it like in the
in the modern in the modern college, basketball he's probably.

Speaker 2 (01:00:16):
Like exactly who you want recruiting for your.

Speaker 6 (01:00:18):
Program SO i say all that to, say it's just
two different ways to skin a cat. Now AND i
Think Brad, BROWNELL i think this is personal For Brad
brownell because he knows that there's Some clemson fans with
Light Will. WADE i think he wonders If Will wade
would want this, job and he's glad to have, it
and the way he's doing, it he's very proud of
and AND i think there's there's like a bunch of

(01:00:40):
different relationships here that we need to consider when we're
breaking this game.

Speaker 1 (01:00:43):
Down, yeah, man LOOK i think that. AGAIN i think
that Benefits. CLEMSON i really, do BECAUSE i think you
can go into the tournament five twelve and even though
that's a typical upset, spot you can still overlook the,
team you, know if the name doesn't kind of feel.
RIGHT i think this one because of their. Relationship Plus
Vernon hamilton is on that coaching, staff which is really.

(01:01:03):
Cool actually Texted vernon yesterday and you know he's been
a guest on this program in the past and a great.
Guy but, Anyhow Qualk, man appreciate, you. Buddy what a
wild storyline this has become with This clemson McNee state
match up again three point fifteen On thursday On TRUE.
Tv Qualk we will talk to you, Soon and, folks

(01:01:25):
you can listen To qwalk every day from noon until
three O'clock Alabama's Will qualk And ben on one oh
five to five the roar in The. Upstate take care
of my.

Speaker 6 (01:01:33):
Man Thanks, wannie you do the same as good to
be with you.

Speaker 1 (01:01:37):
There he Is William Qualkin. Bush man love that. Guy
So clemson to McNeese. STATE i think that's so interesting
to talk about the dynamics of brown l Versus Will,
wade and Uh qualt mentioned the the audio that's circulating
out there With Will, wade which we played in segment,

(01:01:59):
four the last segment right before qualk came.

Speaker 6 (01:02:02):
On.

Speaker 1 (01:02:03):
Wild isn't it to hear a, coach an opposing coach
who's A clemson, fan A clemson graduate going up against
The tigers in a game this? SIGNIFICANT i mean that
to me is a huge part of this storyline and
will certainly be told throughout the. Ballgame On thursday quick
break when we come, back we'll hear more From Brad
brownell right after this stay with, Us Lawton swine with

(01:02:26):
you on A. Monday that Was William qualkinbush before the,
break all. Right Brad brownell met with the media yesterday
evening after it was announced That clemson would face off
with McNee state. Again the storylines we talked about With William.
Quaalkinbush There Will, wade a former student assistant On clemson's

(01:02:47):
staff Under Oliver, purnell A clemson, graduate a name that's
been mentioned for this job When Brad brownell's had some bad,
moments a name that ended up on the wrong side
of AN fbi wire town and back when you couldn't
pay players and was offering players and money and then
ends up being fired AT lsu and returns To Manie,

(01:03:10):
state which is In louisiana and has McNee state in
THE Ncaa tournament as a twelve, seed taking on HIS Albuma,
manor which has created all kinds of. Storylines but, Anyway
Brad brownell met with the. Media he talked about eighteen,
minutes so we'll get about two segments out Of Brad brownell,

(01:03:30):
essentially but he was first given an opportunity to give
an opening statement About clemson making it back into THE Ncaa.

Speaker 8 (01:03:39):
Tournament, yeah just super excited to be involved In march.
Madness unbelievable time of year and really hard to get.
Here so proud of our team for what they've accomplished
this regular. Season it's been a remarkable. Run and certainly
want to continue to play as long as we can
so that we can enjoy this special. Group you, know
certainly want to see special things happen to. Him so
anxious to get.

Speaker 1 (01:03:59):
Start clemson head Coach Brad brownell was asked about what
he talked to the team about just after the announcement
was made of who they were playing and where they
were going and all of.

Speaker 8 (01:04:10):
That, yeah just getting, organized mostly. Organized we had a
little meeting before before the selection show and talked about
a few, things just you, know reminding them of how
special this is and thanking them and complimenting them on
all they had accomplished this year and the way they

(01:04:31):
handle their. Business not just you, know in terms of winning,
games but they've been a great group to, coach And
i'm proud of them for that and that this is
something they'll remember for a long time and not to
take it for, granted and you, know try to be
as united and together as we can be and hopefully
play our best basketball moving.

Speaker 1 (01:04:51):
Forward Brad brownell was asked if there was anything he
felt like the team learned after last year's run that
they could carry over to THIS ncaa. TOURNAMENT i don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:05:03):
Yet we'll.

Speaker 8 (01:05:04):
See probably more applicable answer is maybe during the games
if we win a, couple you, know and then how
to handle. IT i thought we did a really good.
Job we had an older. GROUP i think that was
very confident moving into the tournament and just instilling confidence
maybe in them.

Speaker 4 (01:05:24):
Even after the tough loss To Boston.

Speaker 8 (01:05:26):
COLLEGE i think we did a good job as a
staff that week of getting them back in a, competitive
competitive place and then just instilling confidence in them for
the next couple of days to where they could play
their way into it and you, know just riding that
momentum from there on.

Speaker 1 (01:05:43):
Out clemson head Coach Brad brown they, all was asked
if he felt like the practices that The tigers would
have this week would look anything similar to the ones
they had a year ago after losing The Boston college
upset By Boston college at the A Sec. Tournament Brad
brow now and the team came back and had some
very physical practice is to kind of get, them you,
know amped up and. Ready here's his response to whether

(01:06:04):
or not practices would look similar to what we saw
from them a year.

Speaker 8 (01:06:07):
Ago not, really it's. Different, Obviously we've got A thursday.
Game last, year you, know we had A, Friday so
it's gonna be honest. Quick you, know we've got to
delve into McNeice as much as we, can and we'll
certainly meet on that with our team in the morning
and then probably do some shooting and then come back
in the, afternoon have a little bit of a spirited

(01:06:28):
practice On Monday, tuesday and then you, know obviously travel
and just kind of get used To providence in the
arena and and you, know tighten up a couple of
things On, wednesday like a, normal normal practice day and and,
uh get ready to.

Speaker 1 (01:06:43):
Play and certainly getting used to the venue is. Important
Obviously clemson shot pretty poorly from beyond the, arc pretty.
Terrible maybe he's a very word for it at THE acc.
Tournament so getting used to that arena up In, providence
but you, know it's bad as things were For clemson
in That louisville game that final three minutes and. Change

(01:07:04):
as we talked about, earlier to be able to come
back from fifteen points, down to have the, ball to
have the controversy and all of that that went into,
it they still had to gain some. Confidence And Brad
brownnell was asked if he felt like The tigers gained
some confidence during the waning moments of that. Matchup.

Speaker 4 (01:07:21):
Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 8 (01:07:23):
You, know we we actually started the game very well Against.
LOUISVILLE i thought we played pretty well in. Spurts we,
just you, Know louisville's good, defensively and they bothered us
a little, bit and.

Speaker 4 (01:07:35):
They were very.

Speaker 8 (01:07:35):
PHYSICAL i, thought you, know we were physical, defensively and
then we missed some. Shots you, know we haven't shot
the ball as well in the last two. WEEKS i
don't know that our shot quality is a lot. Different
we didn't play as well AGAINST smu in terms of shot.
Quality we had better shots Against. Louisville by our, standards

(01:08:00):
we didn't make very, many and so we, just you,
know we've got to, relax and you, know we're going
to shoot the ball here a bunch the next three
or four days and trying to get, guys you, know
feeling good about, themselves because at the end of the,
day there is a time when this is about shot.
Making you can run good, plays you can get open,
shots but if you don't make, them it can be.
Frustrating so BUT i thought that the tournament was good for.

(01:08:22):
Us we found a way to win a hard game AGAINST,
smu and you, know the very competitive physical game Against
louisville that you, know we obviously had the chance with
the ball and had a couple of tough, calls maybe
go against us non calls and you, know or it
might look a little.

Speaker 4 (01:08:38):
Different so but our group is.

Speaker 1 (01:08:40):
Good Brown ell was also asked about being a fifth
seed in the region and if he liked that JUST
i guess being a fifth seed versus being whatever else
you would have. BEEN i don't. Know here here's what
coach had to.

Speaker 8 (01:08:52):
Say, YEAH i don't it doesn't really. Matter sixth, seed fifth,
seed fourth. Seed you're going to play great, teams you,
know teams that are used to, winning teams that have good,
players really good. COACHES i, mean that's that's what you
see in THE ncaa. Tournament you, know you don't look
too far. Down you just kind of focus on what you,

(01:09:12):
know the four teams in your little, bracket your, pod
and get your staff to get as ready as they
can for all those teams and you, know in the
different styles that you may see in a short amount of.

Speaker 1 (01:09:22):
Time brad brown now they're talking About clemson in THE Ncublea.
Tournament we'll hear more from. Him AS i, mentioned he
spent about eighteen minutes with the media getting you're ready
For clemson's matchup coming up On, thursday as The tigers
will face off with McNeese, state The, Tigers Brad brownell

(01:09:44):
Versus Will wade and The cowboys of McNeese state or just.
McNeice it's a great Debate McNeese State university three point
fifteen On TRUE tv On. Thursday when we come, Back
Brad brownell addresses Facing Will Wade right after for, This
Clemson sports taught the show That shakes the South land,
again The Clemson tigers in THE Ncaa tournament for a

(01:10:07):
second consecutive, Year Brad brownell leading The tigers Against Will.
Wade A clemson, graduate former, assistant a student assistant on
The Oliver pernell teams At, clemson he was a grad
assistant from five to seven and again began his career

(01:10:29):
as a student manager back during The Larry shayat era
and stuck around Through pernell or part Of pernell and
then went on to coach as an assistant At harvard
AND vcu before going To, chattanooga then ending up AT
vcu for a few seasons after he was there With Shaka,
smart Former clemson, assistant and then ended up AT lsu

(01:10:51):
for five seasons before being fired because of the incident
that we talked about earlier with the wiretap and offering
to pay, players and they had a ten games. Suspension
he spent a year away from, hoops a ten games.
Suspension when he came back in The Show calls penalty
as he took over the McNeese cowboy basketball, Program radber

(01:11:15):
and it was asking if you had a relationship With Will.
Wade here's coaches answer to that, Not, WELL i.

Speaker 8 (01:11:20):
Know will a little bit because we've obviously been in
coaching for a long. Time but he's obviously done a
great job everywhere he's. Been he's he's been very successful
v C, U l S, u now. McNeice you, know
he's part of The shaka tree in terms of how they,
play very aggressive and very good defensively and changed defenses

(01:11:42):
and excellent offensive rebounding.

Speaker 4 (01:11:44):
Team so, yeah we. Know you, know they've got a
bunch of.

Speaker 8 (01:11:48):
TRANSFERS i know the Kid Quadirir copeland From syracuse transfer.
There but they've got a bunch of good high major
transfers and and good players that that you know or
again used to. Winning they've they've been winning there a
lot the last couple of. Years so they'll come in
feeling good about themselves.

Speaker 1 (01:12:07):
As, well brown they all was asked if there was
anybody who felt like he might be able to compare
this McNee state team to that The tigers have played this.

Speaker 8 (01:12:17):
Season you, KNOW i don't know enough BECAUSE i haven't studied.
Them i've only seen, them you, know part probably five
minutes of a game, here maybe. Twice but they're gonna
be athletic Like Florida. State i'm sure there'll be some pressure.
DEFENSE i haven't really studied them enough yet to delve
in to answer that as.

Speaker 4 (01:12:37):
Well AS i.

Speaker 1 (01:12:38):
Should That's, clemson, hey Coach Brad brownell talking about the
McNee State. Cowboys he was also asked if maybe losing To,
louisville and, look we talked a lot now in the
opening hour and With william qualkbish about how it. Happened
but if having a little adversity or whatever might put
a little chip On clemson's, shoulder if that's a good

(01:12:59):
thing heading into THE Nc DOUBLE a.

Speaker 4 (01:13:01):
TOURNAMENT i think Losing Dylan hunters some.

Speaker 8 (01:13:03):
ADVERSITY i, mean guy was a glue guy for your
team and very experienced tournament.

Speaker 4 (01:13:08):
Player that was, adversity.

Speaker 6 (01:13:13):
You.

Speaker 8 (01:13:13):
Know and we've had a couple of games that we
haven't played as well and, lost and and these guys
have always rallied and you, Know i'm they've been very,
Mature they've been very professional in their. Approach that's why
we've had the year that we. Have is they've come
to work every day and been very hungry and humble
about what they're trying to get done and and uh

(01:13:33):
playing the game the right way and and a lot
of good things have happened to.

Speaker 1 (01:13:36):
Him Brad. Brow that was also asked so a lot of,
times the focus in those those moments where the teams
are announced and the peerings are, announced you, know the
focus of the cameras is always on the. Players. Brown
they always ask where was he in the moment that
the news came out That clemson will be facing off
with McNee state in THE NC Doublea.

Speaker 4 (01:13:57):
Tournament, yeah that's great. Question I'm.

Speaker 8 (01:13:59):
I'M i was standing next To graham And Kevin white
just right off to the, side and you, know watching the,
bracket you just we know so many people in coaching
and so you're you, know, oh my guys At vanderbilt
got in and there a nine, seed and you know
That's Mark, byington WHO i coached AT Unc. Wilmington and you,

(01:14:22):
know it's. FUNNY i REMEMBER i. WAS i MEAN i
was my first year as a full or not even
a full time. ASSISTANT i was the restricted earnings coach.

Speaker 4 (01:14:29):
And he was my position.

Speaker 8 (01:14:30):
Guy and he had a speech that was five minutes
AND i made him give it to me before and
he didn't have enough time yet about three, Minutes i'm,
like hey, man we got to do a little. Better
he was a freshman trying to prepare for speech, class
AND i was coaching him with speech as as well
as you could coach somebody back at twenty. Four and so,
obviously you, know just watching different teams that you, know
the head coaches and friends and happy for guys that

(01:14:53):
get in the tournament and.

Speaker 4 (01:14:56):
You, know excited to see that That's.

Speaker 1 (01:14:58):
Clemson hey Goes Brad brown the talking about where he
was when the you, know announcement was, made and he
talked about like connections to players and things like. That,
well you, Know Vernon, hamilton who may still be the
all time steals leader At, clemson at least he ended
his career number one At, clemson played for The tigers

(01:15:20):
from four to oh. Seven he's an assistant coach with
The cowboys looking at their coaching staff just to get
an idea of. There if there are any other connections To.
CLEMSON i didn't see any right off the, hoof but

(01:15:41):
Certainly Vernon hamilton stands out being a former star For.
Clemson he'll be on the bench in this ball, game
taking on his alma mater as, well so more than
just the Will wade. Tie Brad brownell was also asked
About clemson and manw ing the minutes around from the

(01:16:02):
injury To Dylan hunter and how he felt Like Del
jones And Chauncey wiggins did sort of fill in some
of that.

Speaker 8 (01:16:10):
Time, WELL i thought they played a little bit up and,
down you, know and that's probably some of it is
to be.

Speaker 4 (01:16:16):
Expected you.

Speaker 8 (01:16:17):
Know chauncey got a majority of the of the minutes again,
too AND i thought he did some really good. Things you,
know our starters got off to a great start and
played very. WELL i thought our team got a little,
tired you, Know we as a staff have to be
more mindful of that and do a better job of
managing that as best we. Can but you, KNOW i
think it's those guys have done very well most of the.

Speaker 2 (01:16:39):
Time this.

Speaker 8 (01:16:39):
YEAR i just maybe didn't weren't quite as as GOOD i.
Thought jake made some good plays in the second. Half
late probably got filed on a on a one of
the times he lost the ball at mid court AND
i was really unhappy with. Him but looking back at,
it he probably got. Fouled those guys will be. Ready
so there you.

Speaker 1 (01:16:58):
Go that's about half of Braw brownell's time with the.
Media AS i, promise we'll give you some of. That
we'll give you more. Tomorrow the second. Half on The
tuesday edition of The, Shows clemson gets ready for the
matchup against The cowboys from. McNeice i don't know, McNeice McNee.
State this feels feels. Strange it's like The Memphis Memphis state.

Speaker 5 (01:17:21):
Thing.

Speaker 1 (01:17:21):
There the school's name is clearly McNeese State, university but
it may just be, McNeice but McNee state is the official.
Name it is very, confusing believe, me very.

Speaker 4 (01:17:35):
Confusing what have you done for me?

Speaker 7 (01:17:39):
Lately it's a fair. Question just don't lose sight of
the bigger. Picture don't forget. History lucky for us At,
clemson the answer to the questions what have you done
for me? Lately and what have you done always are the.

Speaker 2 (01:17:58):
Same we win.

Speaker 1 (01:18:50):
Final segment on The, monday, Again march madness almost upon.
Us things will get going, tomorrow yuck shot in the first,
four WHICH i can't. Stand six Forty, Tomorrow Alabama state
And Saint francis in a matchup of sixteen seeds in The.

(01:19:12):
South the winner of that will face top Seeded auburn
at two fifty.

Speaker 6 (01:19:19):
On.

Speaker 1 (01:19:20):
Thursday just.

Speaker 4 (01:19:25):
Just.

Speaker 1 (01:19:27):
Awful also tomorrow at nine to ten On TRUE. Tv
by the, way all these games are On TRUE. Tv
you know where they should be ON Tv nowhere they
shouldn't even. Exist eleven Seeded San Diego state and eleven
Seeded North carolina the Tar, heels AS i mentioned, earlier
the final team in the. Tournament the winner of that

(01:19:51):
game will Face Ole Miss and then On wednesday at
six forty you've Got american Versus Mount Saint. Mary's the
winner of that matchup will Face. Duke and then you've

(01:20:13):
got eleventh Seeded texas And xavier at nine ten On
TRUE tv On wednesday in The Miss west in The midwest,
region and the winner of that will Face. Illinois BUT
i AM i do not. LIKE i cannot stand the first.
Four first off. Today we should be able to pick our.

(01:20:41):
Brackets we should be able to pick our. Brackets you,
can't none of. You you are a madman if you're
picking that bracket, today because you how do you know
That texas isn't gonna Be illinois or That xavier won't

(01:21:06):
and they're not even in the game, yet we don't
know who they, are so you have to wait until
these first four games are over to even truly pick your.
Bracket it's mind boggling to me that anybody would, say,
YEAH i like these. GAMES i like the field of sixty,

(01:21:26):
eight field of sixty. FOUR i am a field of
sixty four, absolutist, absolutist AND I i MEAN i would
rather the tournament have an additional round THAN i would

(01:21:48):
these four, games LIKE i would have preferred you give
me one hundred and twenty eight teams last night and
let me pick from. Those but give me the one
hundred and twenty eight. Eight i'd rather do. THAT i
know you're, saying what do you, mean how could you
be a sixty fourteen absolutist and support expanding to one

(01:22:13):
hundred and twenty Eight BECAUSE i wouldn't have to. WAIT
i would know every team that's. IN i could pick
it all. Today as a matter of, FACT i know
you don't even have to double it to pull that.
Off what you could add what thirty two and bump
buys up for the top seeds or. WHATEVER i, mean
there are other ways to do it without completely going

(01:22:34):
to one hundred and twenty. Eight but first. Four, now
if it were all all sixteen seeds battling for the
right to face the one, seeds that's not as bad
Because i'm not gonna pick a sixteen seed over a one,

(01:22:55):
anyway since it's happened what just. Once but when you
try to toss in eleven.

Speaker 2 (01:23:04):
Seeds.

Speaker 1 (01:23:06):
How could anybody pick a bracket? Today you can't even enjoy.
It like if you're A kentucky fan today and you're
looking at, it you, go, well you know, WHAT i
think we'll Beat troy and then if we Face, ILLINOIS
i feel pretty good about. That but what if It's, Texas,

(01:23:27):
WELL i can't really tell you Because xavier might Be.
Texas what if Is? Xavier it's the absolute. Worst the
invention of the first four is an abomination to march.
Madness AND i don't even. KNOW i don't even know

(01:23:55):
If i've ever watched a full game other than When
clemson played in. It as a matter of, Fact i'm
not even sure outside of When clempson is played in
the first four If i've even watched a portion of these. Games,
again they are On TRUE tv for a. Reason it's
a terrible. Concept it's just an awful. Concept, Anyway i'll

(01:24:20):
be interested to see what the pole looks. Like, well
talk more about the poll tomorrow as it gets a
little more time for people to vote on. It but
at the at the jump right out of the, gates
it was like seventy thirty seventy. Percent, no do not
like the first four seventy. Percent that's a heavy. Percentage all,

(01:24:45):
Right we'll talk more about. Tomorrow so, then as, always
y'all take care now and Go.

Speaker 2 (01:24:49):
Tigers