The beauty of March Madness lies in that second word: madness. Upsets shock the world. Who expected UMBC to knock off Virginia? Who had St. Peter’s in the Elite Eight? Did anybody expect VCU to make a run from the First Four to the Final Four? Some people fill out their brackets and put those drastic upsets in there, but they are certainly the minority. How about the potential of teams like Clemson? They already beat Duke in a thriller but lost to Georgia Tech shortly before that game. So, which Clemson team will show up against the dangerous Cinderella McNeese? Will Clemson’s NCAA Tournament stay be short? Or will they live up to their potential and make a run to the Final Four?

McNeese is a good team. Last year, they were one of the teams that many people picked as a Cinderella candidate. Their NET ranking of 58 is impressive for their conference. They win games and have played some outstanding teams in tough games. Alabama only beat them by eight at home. Mississippi State escaped them by three at a neutral site. McNeese is a tough out for anybody. They will bring everything the Tigers can handle and make Clemson play a close game. Now, Clemson has been able to win a lot of games, several of them close, but it’s always a heavier burden in March.

Clemson also has the 35th-best three-point percentage in college basketball. Their three-point ability may decide their NCAA Tournament hopes. They don’t rely heavily on the three, but if they go cold, they could lose a tough game. McNeese is 89th in three-point defense, a respectable number. Clemson will need to hit their open threes. If they can’t hit those shots, the paint becomes extremely crowded in March. Clemson could find themselves back on campus before they want to.

Remember that Clemson beat down New Mexico last season after many people had the Lobos beating the Tigers. They’ve already beaten Kentucky and Duke this season. Those are the two best opponents they’ve faced, and they brought their very best in both of those contests. Clemson can turn up the offensive and defensive pressure against some of the best teams in college basketball. Duke has only lost one game since November, and it came to the Tigers. Clemson will face good opponents throughout the NCAA Tournament, but they must not look ahead. If they focus on each team and bring their A-game, they will be a tough out.

Let’s name some of the teams that have a top-25 rating in both offensive and defensive efficiency according to Kenpom: Duke, Florida, Auburn, Houston, and Tennessee. Those are five of the top six seeds in the NCAA Tournament. However, six teams qualify here. Who’s the last team? Clemson. Yes, Clemson is the team grouped with what most people consider to be serious championship contenders. They have elite ability on both sides of the court, giving them a chance against anybody, including the one-seed in their group, Houston. Clemson should be considered a serious threat to make the Final Four.

Clemson has a Final Four run in them. They made the Elite Eight last season. They will have to make up for an injury to Dillon Hunter, but that will be more motivation. Clemson will beat McNeese in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. High Point has a good chance to upset Purdue, but I have Purdue advancing and losing to Clemson. Gonzaga is a dangerous team, but give me Houston to come through that section and play Clemson, where the Tigers shock the world. Matchups will play a huge role in the Elite Eight. Clemson matches up well against Tennessee. They beat Kentucky, but revenge games are always harder. Illinois is also a threat to lose early or go far. Clemson can win this game to go to the Final Four, but anything less than a Sweet Sixteen appearance would be disappointing for the Tigers.