Bracketology 2023: Clemson, Illinois among teams moving up seed list

January 21, 2023; Clemson, SC; Clemson sophomore forward PJ Hall (24) hugs forward Hunter Tyson (5) near freshman forward Chauncey Wiggins (21) after the Tigers beat Virginia Tech at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, January 21, 2023. Hunter made the go-ahead three-point shot and rebound in the end helping the Tigers win 51-50. Hall led the Tigers with 20 points. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY NETWORK /

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Bracketology Charleston Cougars forward Ante Brzovic David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports /

Charleston Cougars (21-1, 9-0 in CAA)

We begin our look at teams on the rise in the CAA with the No. 18 ranked Charleston Cougars. They are 21-1 entering the week and haven’t lost since way back in early November when they had No. 1 North Carolina on the ropes at halftime. Charleston is looking to position itself in the at-large conversation should it not win the conference tournament, and with every win, its portfolio gets even stronger.

Even though they have no quad 1 wins and while they don’t have a win that stands out, the title they won in the Charleston Classic by beating Virginia Tech should hold some weight as we move into the back half of the regular season. The metrics view Pat Kelsey’s team favorably at the moment as they are ranked 75th in Kenpom and have an 81 ranking in the two other predictive metrics, and an average ranking of 26 in the results metrics.

We’ve talked a lot about Charleston in the weekly watchlist this season, and for good reason. The Cougars have set themselves 2.5 games ahead of the pack in the CAA on the back of an offense that averages 80 points per game with four players in double figures. Defensively they’ve put the clamps on teams since late November, allowing over 70 points just twice and giving up just 64 per game in league play.

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