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2018 ACC preview: Notre Dame, Louisville battle for top

By Arielle Chambers

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw and her team pose for photos after winning the National Championship game between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 1, 2018 at Nationwide Arena. Notre Dame won 61-58. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw and her team pose for photos after winning the National Championship game between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 1, 2018 at Nationwide Arena. Notre Dame won 61-58. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Clemson Tigers

Projected finish: 14th

Last year’s record: 11-19, 1-15 ACC

Key returners (last season’s stats):

G-Danielle Edwards, 5’7, (Perry Hall, MD), SR- 9.2 PPG,  3.9 RPG, 31.3 MPG; has started every single game of her Clemson career.

(Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Biggest losses (16-17 Stats)

G-  Nelly Perry, 5’10, (Camden, NJ)-  redshirt senior year due to injury, but transferred to the University of South Carolina; 12.7 PPG (Clemson’s leading scorer), 4.2 RPG, 31.4 MPG.

Newcomers

G- Simone Westbrook, 5’8, (Chandler, AZ), GR – 7th-year senior coming from the University of Florida, playing previously under Coach Butler; first Division I NCAA player to receive a 7th year of eligibility.

G- Camree Clegg, 5’5, (Westland, MI), FR- 24.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.1 RPG senior season.

F- Taylor Hosendove, 6’1, (Atlanta, GA), Fr- Georgia 7A State Champion; 11.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.4 APG.

Head Coach

Amanda Butler, 1st season

  • 25 seasons coaching,  13 as head coach
  • Overall coaching record 190-136
  • Came to Clemson from the University of Florida
(Photo by Doug Buffington/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Doug Buffington/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Key  games:

Nov. 15– @ South Carolina: 7 pm ET

Nov. 19– @ Alabama: 8 pm ET

Outlook

Clemson has struggled the past few years with winning conference games among  its elite competition. Despite finishing lowest in the ACC last season, Clemson was in the upper echelon in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense (5th in conference).

With new coach Amanda Butler, the Tigers are set to have a completely different style of play this season.  Butler comes to the program with over a decade of head coaching experience and a winning coaching record.  She emphasized offensive improvement when discussing her team at ACC Tip-off (media day).  And, as ACC Commissioner Nora Finch said, “We don’t see [Clemson having] as much as an uphill battle this year, [despite] having to lay down lots of groundwork.” Butler also brought Simone Westbrook with her from the University of Florida. Westbrtook is a graduate transfer who will be playing her 7th year. She is the first NCAA Division I player to be granted seven years of eligibility.

Though the program might not struggle as much as it has in the past due to new staff, Clemson still has to work to reshape its structure and adapt to the new coaching and style changes and that does not happen overnight.

Best case scenario:

Amanda Butler is the missing piece of the puzzle that Clemson has needed and changes the mentality of the program. They can get a few wins under their belt and have a taste of victory so that it sets the foundation of winning in the future.

Worst case scenario:

Clemson will still struggle to be competitive in the ACC and notch a similar record as last season.

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