Rutgers Basketball finally did it. After three decades (and an extra year), the Scarlet Knights are going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991. A major kudos to a program that had been struggling for over a quarter of a century.
Coach Steve Pikiell doesn’t want the dream to end with a berth to the Big Dance, though. He wants to take this team as far as it can go, with its first obstacle coming in the form of the Clemson Tigers.
Game time is set!
— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) March 15, 2021
Our NCAA Tournament matchup against Clemson will be at 9:20 pm on Friday in Bankers Life Fieldhouse!
The game will be televised by TBS
🛡⚔️ #GardenStatement pic.twitter.com/SxQT7XGEah
Clemson is a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, making their first appearance since 2018, when they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 12 in the country this season and have a spate of impressive victories, including neutral site wins over Purdue and Alabama.
But this is a team that has also shown plenty of warts. The biggest game in their most recent game, when they were knocked off by Miami in the Second Round of the ACC Tournament.
Outside of that game, Clemson has very few bad losses. They also have a wealth of veteran leadership, led by Second Team All-ACC senior Aamir Simms.
This is definitely one of the more intriguing 7-10 games in the First Round of this year’s tournament. Both teams are capable of playing at a caliber of deserving to make the second weekend in Indianapolis.
How can Rutgers continue their dram and pick up their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1983? Here are three keys to a victory over Clemson.