Where Clemson basketball finished in the USA TODAY Top 25 after March Madness run

CLEMSON — After its improbable NCAA Tournament run, Clemson basketball is ranked No. 15 in the final USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, its highest finish since 2018.

The Tigers (24-12) entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 6 seed after being one of the first four teams left out of March Madness last season. This year, after their worst loss of the season to Boston College in the ACC tournament, they defeated No. 11 seed New Mexico in the first round of March Madness, upset No. 3 seed Baylor and then No. 2 Arizona in the Sweet 16.

Clemson reached the Elite Eight for the first time in 44 years but fell to No. 4 Alabama to end its magical journey. The last time the Tigers reached the final coaches poll was six years ago when they finished No. 15 after making the Sweet 16.

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Four ACC teams made the coaches poll, and Clemson finished behind each team — North Carolina at No. 6, Duke at No. 9 and NC State at No. 13.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00