The rematch is set. Louisville basketball will face the Clemson Tigers tonight in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
The Tigers will seek revenge, as Clemson was defeated by Louisville 74-64 back in January. This game will be a top-15-ranked showdown and will have huge implications for both teams' seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
Both teams are riding into the semifinals on massive win streaks, as Louisville is on a 10-game win streak and has won 20 of their last 21, and Clemson has won nine straight, including 15 of their previous 16. Oddly enough, Georgia Tech beat both teams in their win streaks.
Both teams secured a double bye in the ACC Tournament and struggled in the quarterfinals. Louisville will look to secure their first appearance in the ACC Tournament Championship game and pick up the season sweep over the Tigers tonight.
3 game-changing stats for Louisville basketball vs Clemson that shouldn't be ignored
The Cardinals and Tigers are two of the best teams in the nation, but these three glaring stats prove Louisville will upset the No. 10 Clemson Tigers in tonight's ACC Tournament semifinals showdown.
3. Louisville basketball destined to win ACC Tournament
Louisville basketball is entering tonight's game with Clemson on a 10-game winning streak and has won 20 of their last 21. The Cardinals have secured two 10-game win streaks in the same season since their National Championship run in 2013.
Louisville basketball went on to win the Big East Conference Tournament Championship that year. The Cardinals have secured two 10-game win streaks in the same year twice, with similar results.
Louisville secured two 10-game win streaks back in 1975 and 1994. The Cardinals would secure a Metro Conference Tournament title in 1994 and a Missouri Valley Conference regular season title in 1975. History is on the Cardinals' side here. So, if history means anything, Louisville basketball will not only win tonight against Clemson but will win Saturday as well.
2. Pat Kelsey's conference tournament hot streak
Pat Kelsey's conference tournament win streak reaches seven games. Kelsey hasn't lost a conference tournament game since 2022. Before Kelsey's time with Louisville, the Cardinals' head coach secured back-to-back conference titles with the Charleston Cougars.
Kelsey's history shows that when he is able to secure long win streaks, a conference tournament title follows. Kelsey was the head coach at Winthrop, and during his time, he secured a school-record 21-game win streak, which led to a Big South tournament crown. Then, Kelsey went to Charleston, and during one of those two tournament titles, he secured yet again a 20-game win streak, which led to the program's first CAA title in over a decade.
Pat Kelsey's history shows that the Cardinal's long win streaks will secure a berth in the ACC Tournament finals and a win over Clemson tonight.
1. Clemson's glaring kryptonite
Louisville basketball has Clemson's glaring kryptonite, and his name is J'Vonne Hadley. The Cardinals' guard scored 32 points in the Cardinals and Tigers showdown earlier in the year. Hadley shot 100% from beyond the arc and 82% from the floor on 11 shots.
The Cardinals earned a 10-point win and look for similar results. Hadley is entering this game hungry, as he scored just four points in 38 minutes. Hadley's ability to play bully ball basketball is a key weakness to this Clemson defense. The Tigers have a tough time matching up with the Cardinal's 6-foot-6, 215-pound guard. J'Vonne Hadley is due for a breakout game, and this ACC semifinals showdown is screaming to be the game in which Hadley steps up and dominates.