No. 20 Clemson Focused on 'Daily Work,' Won't Look Past Virginia Tech

Tigers have won four straight and are tied atop the ACC standings with No. 4 Duke.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

No. 20 Clemson is focused on its upcoming game against Virginia Tech on Wednesday night, despite being tied atop the Atlantic Coast Conference standings with No. 4 Duke. The Tigers have won four straight games and are allowing just 64.1 points per game, 11th in the nation. Clemson coach Brad Brownell emphasized the team's focus on daily improvements and not looking past any opponent.

Why it matters

Clemson's strong defensive play and balanced scoring attack have them in contention for the ACC title, but they must continue to take care of business against conference opponents like Virginia Tech to maintain their position.

The details

Clemson (20-4, 10-1 ACC) is coming off a West Coast swing where it knocked off Stanford and dominated Cal. The Tigers have a balanced scoring attack with three players averaging in double figures: RJ Godfrey (11.9), Jestin Porter (10.5) and Carter Welling (10.1). Redshirt freshman Ace Buckner, the son of former Clemson star Greg Buckner, has also provided a boost off the bench with strong performances in the last two games.

  • Clemson plays Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.
  • Clemson's only ACC loss came to North Carolina State in overtime.

The players

Brad Brownell

Clemson's head coach who emphasized the team's focus on daily improvements and not looking past any opponent.

RJ Godfrey

Clemson player averaging 11.9 points per game.

Jestin Porter

Clemson player averaging 10.5 points per game.

Carter Welling

Clemson player averaging 10.1 points per game.

Ace Buckner

Clemson redshirt freshman and son of former Clemson star Greg Buckner, who has provided a boost off the bench.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We talk about daily work, daily improvements and focusing on what we can control and our players, but we're also trying to enjoy the experience. It's a long, hard season. We want our guys to be energized. We know there is a long way to go in league play.”

— Brad Brownell, Clemson Head Coach (statenews.net)

“We don't have a bunch of guys who are big-time scorers. We have guys that are good players and guys who have bought into their roles. There are guys on our team who could play more minutes, but they sacrifice that in order for us to play the best way we think to play, which is playing a lot of guys.”

— Brad Brownell, Clemson Head Coach (statenews.net)

“He was great, he looked a little more like himself. He was (2-for-3) from three, he struggled early. If we can get him going along with (Tobi) Lawal, he had 15 rebounds, 17 points. Those are good numbers. We had some positive things we can build on.”

— Mike Young, Virginia Tech Head Coach (statenews.net)

What’s next

Clemson will face No. 4 Duke this weekend after their game against Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.

The takeaway

Clemson's focus on defensive intensity and balanced scoring has them in contention for the ACC title, but they must continue to take care of business against conference opponents like Virginia Tech to maintain their position and set up a potential showdown with Duke.