Ian Schieffelin can barely practice these days, but he expects to play for surging Clemson when the Tigers host Syracuse in Atlantic Coast Conference action on Wednesday in Clemson, S.C.
More than two months into the season, Schieffelin is dealing with back and calf issues that have limited his ability to take the court on non-game days. He only practiced for a few minutes Friday before delivering a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s 78-75 overtime win at Pitt.
“Ian’s just been a warrior,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said of the fifth-year senior, who is averaging 13.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists. “I don’t know that (his practice schedule) will be much different here for a while. … Crossing my fingers that everything is going to be fine. But he’s a tough kid.”
Chase Hunter, another longtime fixture at Clemson (15-4, 7-1 ACC), scored 20 points in the win over the Panthers. He knocked down five 3-pointers as the Tigers won for the sixth time in seven games.
Hunter and Schieffelin will certainly be two of the focal points for the Syracuse defense, which has given up 77.6 points per game this season. However, the Orange held Notre Dame to 42.1 percent shooting and only five 3-pointers in a 77-69 win on Saturday.
“You couldn’t tell whatever our record was,” Orange coach Adrian Autry said. “These guys came out here, they played hard, they played tough and that’s how it has to be going forward.”
Syracuse (9-9, 3-4) trailed by as many as 17 points before rallying behind J.J. Starling (21 points), Eddie Lampkin Jr. (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Kyle Cuffe Jr. (13 points, 10-of-10 foul shooting).
“(It) was big time because we could have easily given up, but I’m very proud of this group of guys,” Starling said. “We just kept fighting, and we didn’t lay down.”
This is the only scheduled meeting between the Tigers and Orange this season. The teams met twice last season with Clemson winning both games as Schieffelin averaged 14.5 points on 10-of-10 shooting over the two games.
–Field Level Media
