Clemson is unbeaten and looking to stay that way when it visits Boise State on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers have proven they can handle adversity, rallying to beat Eastern Kentucky 75-62 on Tuesday, outscoring the Colonels 25-8 in the final 12 minutes.
“We were down four and then we had two quick steals of three and kind of came back,” Jaeden Zackery said in a postgame interview. “So, I feel like that there kind of just showed how we’re able, in close games, to battle through in the second half. Kind of just lean on each other. It’s like a brotherhood.”
Zackery proved valuable to Clemson (3-0) in its win over Eastern Kentucky, scoring six points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists while stepping up defensively as well. He is putting up 9.3 points per contest and leads the team in assists (4.3).
Chase Hunter also scored 19 against Eastern Kentucky and is the team’s leading scorer with 16.3 points per outing. Viktor Lakhin is next with an average of 13.0 points per game, while leading the team in blocks with 6.0 per game.
Clemson went to the Elite Eight a year ago and faces a Broncos team that is 2-1 and ready for the challenge of hosting a solid team out of the ACC. Boise State beat Corban 100-65 on Tuesday.
“You got to think, it’s probably one of the best opponents we’ve had come here,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice told the Idaho Press. “It’s certainly in the discussion for that. I know people love getting a football school here, too. I think the fans have already somewhat responded by getting tickets, but we need a great atmosphere and a great home court. Because when we go on the road, that’s what we see.”
Tyson Degenhart leads the Broncos at 16.3 points per game, one of five Boise State players averaging more than 10 points per outing.
Rice took Tuesday’s lopsided matchup against Corban as an opportunity to give younger players more playing time, including freshman guard Julian Bowie and sophomore forward Emmanuel Ugbo.
“You want to get them out there,” Rice told reporters after the game. “There is a real world to it, where they have to get that experience. And so a game like this is really important, and I think they take away a lot from it.”
