Clemson coach Brownell's emotional tie to this Tigers team evident as ACC tourney awaits

CLEMSON — Brad Brownell's emotional range rarely drifts from center as he speaks, but more than one feeling was tugging at Clemson's coach as he held a microphone and addressed Littlejohn Coliseum on March 4.

It was Senior Night for a handful of players who were anchors for a 22-win team, including a program-record 14 victories in ACC play. It wasn't only senior forward Hunter Tyson, who more than earned the nickname "cap" from his peers, but the infectiously positive guard Alex Hemenway, who battled through plantar fasciitis all season. And the microwave scorer Brevin Galloway, the Anderson native whose winding college career ended at his dream school. And two walk-ons, ex-managers Devin Foster and Jack Nauseef, who fought just to wear the Tigers' jersey on game days.

Brownell had them all on his mind, along with his youngest daughter, Kate, a senior who works in Clemson's basketball office.

"I enjoy being the coach at Clemson more than you know," said Brownell, who tried to address his daughter but could only get out the first syllable in the word "senior" before he broke down.

"Kate, I'm really proud of you, I love you," Brownell managed to let out, abruptly handing the microphone to Tyson and walking off the floor.

It was quite a closing scene of the regular season, especially with so much uncertainty ahead.

The Tigers (22-9, 14-6 ACC) enter their conference tournament on March 9 as the No. 3 seed, but they are still a "bubble" squad for the March Madness field. If Clemson misses the NCAA tournament for a second season in a row — the third time in four tourneys dating back to 2019 — the unsatisfied in Clemson's fan base will voice their displeasure.

While fans and pundits continue to size up Clemson ahead of a 9:30 p.m. tip in Greensboro, Brownell has already formed a feeling about this squad. He believes this is a tournament team. But above all, it's a special team, filled with players he admires as people as much as athletes.

"As you get older in the business, that part of it means even more to you," said the Tigers' 13th-year coach.

Brownell's affection was evident as he spoke after a 23-point win over Notre Dame. It doesn't feel like an accident what this group, picked in the preseason to finish 11th in the conference, has achieved.

He thinks of Tyson, who beats Brownell to Clemson's basketball facility in the mornings, readying to lift weights with a very grown-up combo of coffee and oatmeal. Tyson has transformed from a lanky but overconfident freshman — someone Brownell would have to remind he's "not Larry Bird" and to "pass the damn ball" — into a first-team All-ACC player.

In a recent practice, Tyson made a half-dozen 3s from a point well beyond the arc and Brownell had to admit, "Damn, you might be Larry Bird."

"I'm just so proud of him, to think I had a small piece of helping him become what he is today," Brownell said, "because what he is today is freakin' phenomenal."

Then there is junior PJ Hall. He played nearly his entire sophomore season with an inflamed foot, had offseason surgery to repair it, and then injured a knee on his first day back in the summer. He shed tears with Brownell, not about his on-court struggles, but after people close to him died during the season. He started the season not anywhere close to 100 percent.

Brownell could brag on Hall's 19.2-point scoring average since the Duke game in mid-January, when he was back in shape. But he recalls the story of Hall helping a stranded Duke reporter jump a car battery in the parking lot after last season's game. Brownell has another story from his wife's friend, who randomly crossed paths with the 6-foot-10 center as she walked her dog.

Hall didn't know the woman, but he petted the dog for a good three or four minutes. He then went to his car and pulled out a treat.

"He rides around with treats in his car so when he runs into dogs he does this. Now who does that?" Brownell said. "He's an unbelievable person."

This team gave Brownell the most conference wins in his tenure, but he is grateful for other reasons. It is a team Brownell enjoys sitting with for a meal, because there are no cliques. Veterans like Tyson, Hall, Hemenway, and Chase Hunter are so approachable, they bonded easily with the underclassmen.

"That's part of what makes us good," Brownell said, coming back to his emotions on Senior Night. "All of it wrapped into one. You're proud of your team. You're proud of your kids. You're proud of your opportunity to coach them. And then, obviously, my daughter was very emotional before the game.

"My family, everybody's family in coaching, gets wrapped up in your team and your players."

Next season, Kate will be a Clemson graduate, like older sister Abby. She won't have a job with the basketball team. She won't be at every game.

These moments are fleeting, and Brownell has perspective on that. Now, the Tigers head to Greensboro, just trying to make it last as long as possible.

"To just be a part of those guys' lives, it's humbling, it's special," Brownell said. "Sometimes it's hard when your coach is on you, to care as much about your coach. But the longer you get away from it, the more you grow, the more you look back on it. The more you realize, man, he really helped me.

"So thinking about having that responsibility and opportunity to do that is special. I'm just really happy for this team."

Follow Jon Blau on Twitter @Jon_Blau. Plus, receive the latest updates on Clemson athletics, straight to your inbox, by subscribing to The Tiger Take.

Who: Clemson vs. N.C. State

When: 9:30 p.m., March 9

Where: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, N.C.

TV: ESPN

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