NCAA Tournament West Region: No. 6 Clemson vs. No. 3 Baylor March Madness Preview and Prediction

Clemson vs. Baylor March Madness Preview and Prediction

In a No. 6 vs. No. 3 matchup in the NCAA Tournament West Region, the Clemson Tigers face the Baylor Bears in second-round action.

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How to Watch Clemson vs. Baylor

When: 6:10 pm ET on Sunday, March 24th

Where: FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee

Watch: TNT

Odds for Clemson vs. Baylor

(odds current at time of publish)

Spread: Baylor -4

Total: 146.5

DraftKings Betting Splits | Live College Basketball Odds | Clemson vs. Baylor Matchup

West Region No. 6 Clemson Tigers

Clemson wasn’t anything special during the regular season, but this team will be a tough out. The Tigers are a borderline top-25 team when it comes to adjusted offensive efficiency, and they’re solid on the defensive end. That starts with center PJ Hall, who sets the tone for Clemson on both ends of the floor. He’s a good pick-and-pop center that can score around the basket, and he’s relatively creative with the ball in his hands. Hall is also a very good defensive big, and his motor is contagious for the Tigers. The team also has him paired with a tough forward in Ian Schieffelin, and the guard play isn’t bad either. In fact, Syracuse transfer Joseph Girard III is a big shot maker and is capable of getting hot from deep. That said, there’s a lot to like with Clemson and a couple of wins isn’t out of the question if the team gets rolling.

West Region No. 3 Baylor Bears

As long as Bryce Drew is at Baylor, you can count on the Bears to have an elite offense. This year is no different, as Baylor is a top-10 team when it comes to offensive efficiency. And part of the reason for that is the Bears shooting nearly 40.0% from behind the 3-point line. With firepower like that, it’s hard to rule out a run for Bayor. And people will enjoy seeing guys like Ja’Kobe Walter, RayJ Dennis and Yves Missi on the national stage. The issue with Baylor is that the team is outside the top 50 when it comes to defensive efficiency. The Bears were a top-25 group when they won the national title in 2021. They likely won’t win again until they strike the right balance on offense and defense. 

Clemson vs. Baylor Preview & Prediction

It will be hard for Baylor to replicate their 16-for-30 3-point performance in the first round against Colgate, but if they can, they’re very likely to roll over Clemson in the second round. The Bears were among the nation’s best in 3P% and followed through with the win over the Raiders, as their long-distance barrage led to 1.446 points per possession and 92 total points.

Clemson shook off an early exit in the ACC Tournament to best New Mexico, dealing another blow to the beleaguered Mountain West Conference. The Tigers and Brad Brownell don’t have much of a track record of March success, but they looked like the more prepared team, opening up a 14-point halftime lead and ultimately winning by 21.

After struggling badly on defense in the latter portion of the regular season and then against Boston College in the ACC Tournament, Clemson stepped up against the Lobos. We’ll have strength on strength here, with Baylor’s strong offensive rebounding prowess and Clemson’s top-30 defensive rebounding stats.

Brownell is just 4-6 in the NCAA Tournament with that win, but the spirited defensive effort could make this one interesting, even though Baylor is clearly the superior team.

Estimated Score: Baylor 74, Clemson 71

For expert predictions, go to our college basketball best bets page.