CLEMSON — Clemson has never won an ACC Tournament in men’s basketball. Since, 1954 through 2025, the Tigers have lost in every tournament but one – the COVID canceled tournament in 2020.
If you are doing the math, the ACC Tournament has been held 71 times, and 70 times Clemson has returned home with no championship trophy. It is the lone charter member of the league to never win the tournament.
The Tigers’ chances of winning their first ACC Tournament Championship this week are not good, either. Clemson is in the bracket with every team, but one, that beat them this season.
Clemson (22-9, 12-6 ACC) will play Wake Forest on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m., from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. The Demon Deacons, the No. 13 seed, downed No. 12 Virginia Tech in overtime on Tuesday.
If the Tigers win their second-round game, they will play No. 4 seed North Carolina at the same time on Friday. If they win that, they will likely play top-seeded Duke or No. 8 Florida State or No. 9 California in the semifinals.
Virginia Tech forward Amani Hansberry (13) dunks over Clemson forward RJ Godfrey (0) on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. (Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider)
Five of Clemson’s six losses in league play have come from Duke, UNC, FSU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. The one win came at California on Feb. 7.
What does it mean for the Tigers’ chances to finally win an ACC Championship?
“I think it speaks to the quality of the league, number one,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “Virginia Tech and Wake Forest finishing twelfth and thirteenth. Those are two pretty good teams.
“Wake Forest played one of the top seeds (in the NCAA Tournament), probably, in Michigan to a one-point game. Virginia Tech has had a really good year and kind of a hard-luck-year in some ways with a bunch of close losses. It kind of reminds me of our ’19 team that felt like we were stung a few times late in game stuff. They are both very talented. They are well coached and will be difficult matchups.”
Clemson lost to the Hokies (76-66) at home on Feb. 11 and then at Wake (85-77) a week later.
What happened in those two losses? Virginia Tech and the Demon Deacons shot lights out, especially in the first half.
“I do not think we guarded as well as we need to in either game, and certainly that is a credit to them and the way those guys played,” Brownell said. “I thought they played with great pace and got off to good starts in both games, so it is certainly difficult.
“Defending is important, but it will be important for our team regardless.”
The Tigers are 24-70 all-time in the ACC Tournament.
Clemson guard Dillon Hunter (2) scrambles for a loose ball with Virginia Tech guard Ben Hammond (3) on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. (Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider)
