Clemson vs UNC: Is Today The Day?

It’s not often in sports that a streak can last 55 years, but that’s exactly what we have in Clemson vs UNC when playing in Chapel Hill. It lives and continues to grow  as the longest running winless streak in NCAA history. One would have though in a series that started in 1926 that this couldn’t be true, that somewhere over the years Clemson would have surely won at least one game, yet they haven’t.

It’s not that they haven’t come close, they in fact have on several occasions. If close is measured by less than 10 point,s then in 1997-98 Clemson came within 9 points of pulling off the upset. During the 1951-52 campaign Clemson came within 6 points of the win. Fast forward to the 1981-82 season and the Tigers only lose by 5 points. In 1979-80 the margin was a mere 3 points, even closer in 2002-03 by a scant 2 points, and twice the Tigers have come within 1 point of beating UNC in both the 1935-36 season and the 1973-74 season.

Not many, if any, give Clemson much of a shot here inside the 2011-12 season. UNC stands as one of the better teams not only in the ACC conference but the Nation as well. Many have picked UNC to cut down the nets this year in the New Orleans Super Dome. It will take a David vs Goliath type effort for Clemson to pull off the upset. The question is, does Clemson have it in them.

Clemson (13-12) over all and (5-6) in the ACC will have to slow down a UNC team that leads the ACC in scoring. Three of the Tar Heels (Barnes, Zeller and Henson) average at least 14 points per game, Both Zeller and Henson give them one of the country’s best front courts. The Tigers will have to keep Zeller and Henson off the low blocks and neutralize their length.  It will be a tall order for Clemson.

This run will end one day, it’s inevitable, streaks are made to be, and will broken, when it’s least expected is generally when it happens. Is today that Day? Will this be the day Clemson will leave the Dean E Smith Center 1-55. Stay tuned.

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