UNC basketball vs. Clemson: Score prediction, scouting report for ACC game

Coming off its win against rival Duke, UNC basketball is back on the court Tuesday.

The Tar Heels (18-4, 10-1 ACC), who earned a 93-84 win against the Blue Devils, host Clemson (14-7, 4-6) on Tuesday (7 p.m., ESPN) at the Dean E. Smith Center.

UNC’s Armando Bacot had 14 points and 16 rebounds in the Tar Heels’ 65-55 win at Clemson on Jan. 6. The Tigers are 1-60 in Chapel Hill, including 1-29 at the Smith Center.

Clemson’s only win in Chapel Hill came in 2020, but the Tar Heels won 91-71 last season on Roy Williams Court. Here’s a look at some other things to know and a score prediction for the Tar Heels’ rematch with Clemson.

Clemson’s 3-point shooting, UNC’s defense

In UNC’s first game against Clemson, the Tigers missed 17 of their 18 attempts from 3-point range and didn’t get a bucket in the final minutes as the Heels pulled away. In ACC play, Clemson is 14th out of 15 teams in 3-point percentage (30.1%) and UNC’s 3-point defense leads the league at 26.8%. The Heels haven’t allowed double-digit 3s since watching Charleston Southern knock down 10 in December.

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HOW UNC BEAT DUKE: UNC basketball's Harrison Ingram stars in rivalry debut as Tar Heels beat Blue Devils

UNC'S WIN AT CLEMSON: Inside the huddle with Hubert Davis, UNC basketball and what's changed for the Tar Heels

Seth Trimble attacking as scorer, defender

Sophomore guard Seth Trimble is at his best when he’s in the open court and attacking the paint. Trimble was able to do that consistently against Duke, scoring all 10 of his points in or around the paint while maintaining his defensive prowess. UNC’s top reserve at 17.3 minutes per game, Trimble has four steals in his last two games for his best stretch of his career.

UNC’s secondary scoring behind RJ Davis

Duke’s guards made things tough for UNC’s RJ Davis – the ACC’s leading scorer – but the Tar Heels didn’t show any signs of panic. Despite a 5-for-14 shooting performance from Davis, UNC leaned on veterans Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram to do the heavy lifting. The Heels also got 26 points from Seth Trimble, Elliot Cadeau and Cormac Ryan. UNC’s secondary scoring will continue to be vital if the Heels are going to reach their goals.

UNC vs. Clemson score prediction

UNC 80, Clemson 72: The Tigers’ history in Chapel Hill speaks for itself, but Clemson is desperate for another signature win. I imagine Brad Brownell’s squad will show that hunger on the court Tuesday, but UNC has played its best basketball at the Smith Center.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball vs. Clemson: Score prediction, scouting report