Clemson's next road hurdle: No. 21 N.C. State

Life on the Atlantic Coast Conference road isn't easy.

Just ask Clemson coach Brad Brownell.

"It's very difficult," Brownell said. "Guys usually play better at home, make more shots. The home team can make a nice run. You expect that, especially at home, against a team with a lot of pride."

Clemson is 0-3 in conference road games and faces another challenge Saturday when the Tigers (11-7, 1-4 ACC) play at No. 21 North Carolina State (15-4, 3-3).

"They're extremely talented and it's another Top 25 team on the road," Brownell said. "They play fast, score at a high level and are a great offensive rebounding team. They're a hard team to play against and it's a difficult environment."

The Tigers' game against the Wolfpack will be their fourth on the road in six league games to start the season, three against ranked opponents.

"We're fine, but we're not happy," Brownell said.

"Our team is disappointed that we're not winning some of these games, but we're playing hard. It's a hard schedule. You have to play at a high level for 40 minutes to win and we haven't been able to do that in some of these games, but we have good attitudes."

N.C. State has found a little more success on the ACC road, claiming wins at Miami and Notre Dame. But the Wolfpack are coming off Thursday night's 84-77 loss at No. 23 Louisville in which they committed a season-high 23 turnovers.

"I thought we played extremely hard," N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts said. "I thought we had our chances to win the game, but any time you turn the ball over 23 times and give the team 37 points off turnovers, you put yourself in a bad position to win.

"For us -- a team who has in my opinion done a good job of taking care of the basketball -- I thought we did an awful job."

It hasn't helped that the Wolfpack have played three consecutive games without starting point guard Markell Johnson, who was injured when he took a tumble and hurt his back in a victory against Pitt on Jan. 12.

Johnson, who led the ACC in assists last season, was averaging 18.5 points and 5.0 assists in six games against Power 5 opponents. A timeline for his return remains uncertain. Keatts on Tuesday said that Johnson will not play "until mentally and physically he feels like he's ready."

"He's the one guy that can create for himself and others," Keatts said.

"Braxton (Beverly) can certainly shoot the ball, Devon Daniels and C.J. Bryce are both great at getting to the hole, but Markell gives you both of them. He can get to the rack and also spray to shooters. Remember, he led the ACC in assists last year, but he can also go get you a basket. ...

"With Markell out, it puts so much pressure on Braxton Beverly because he has to dribble the ball, shoot the ball and pass the ball. He's a guy who really struggles more than anybody with Markell out of the game."

In the meantime, Keatts can commiserate with Brownell about the weekly trials and tribulations that come with ACC play.

"All the teams are good -- it's the ACC," Keatts said. "We've got to get back, we've got to get some rest, we've got to prepare tomorrow and we've just got to shake it off and get ready to play."

--Field Level Media