Samford @ Clemson preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 29, 2007 ) Samford 45, Clemson 78

Clemson is off to its best start in four seasons because it has been able to avoid letdowns following big victories, and enters Saturday’s home contest against Samford aiming for its second four-game winning streak of the season. The Tigers did not skip a beat after an impressive 14-point victory at Ohio State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, racing past UNC Asheville 83-52 on Sunday as junior guard Marcquise Reed scored 19 points.

Reed sparked the victory at Ohio State with 22 points, and is 8-for-13 from 3-point range in the past two victories after shooting just 1-for-9 from the field in a Nov. 24 victory over Texas Southern. “I think I’m starting to find my rhythm,” Reed told reporters after hitting five 3-pointers in the victory over UNC Asheville. “I think our chemistry is really picking up. Everybody knows which spots everybody will be in.” The Tigers are among the top-shooting teams in the nation through the first four weeks of the season, hitting 51.2 percent of their attempts. Samford has dropped seven of its first nine games, but put a scare into Memphis before blowing a four-point lead in the final seconds Tuesday before losing 65-64.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra

ABOUT SAMFORD (2-7): The Bulldogs had an upset within reach Tuesday before giving up the game’s final five points in 18 seconds. Demetrius Denzel-Dyson scored a team-high 17 at Memphis and leads three players averaging in double figures at 14.7 points per game. Five of Samford’s losses have come by 19 points or more.

ABOUT CLEMSON (7-1): Senior forward Donte Grantham recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds against UNC Asheville, and leads the Tigers in scoring (15.5) on 68.5 percent shooting from the field. Five Clemson players average in double figures, while the Tigers have allowed just 64.5 points per game. Clemson is third in the ACC in free-throw shooting at 76.9 percent.

TIP-INS

1. The Tigers are off to their best start since opening 2013-14 at 7-1, moving coach Brad Brownell within two victories of 300 for his career.

2. Clemson G Shelton Mitchell led the Tigers in assists in seven of eight games this season, and Clemson has shot 50 percent or better from the field five times.

3. The Tigers play three more non-conference games before ACC play begins after Saturday, and two are against SEC foes (Florida on Dec. 16 and South Carolina on Dec. 19).

PREDICTION: Clemson 85, Samford 62