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Clemson Tigers Senior Big Man Seen As Team's X-Factor in NCAA Tournament

A senior big man is going to play a big part in how much success the Clemson Tigers have in the NCAA Tournament.

Kenneth Teape

Mar 8, 2025; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson senior center Viktor Lakhin (0) dunks near Virginia Tech forward Ben Burnham (13) during the first half at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C Saturday, March 8, 2025.
Mar 8, 2025; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson senior center Viktor Lakhin (0) dunks near Virginia Tech forward Ben Burnham (13) during the first half at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C Saturday, March 8, 2025. / Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
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The Clemson Tigers advanced to the Elite Eight during the 2024 NCAA Tournament, tying the deepest run the men’s basketball team has ever gone on.

What did they do for an encore performance in the 2024-25 campaign?

They made more history.

The Tigers have already set a program record with 27 victories and will be looking to add to that amount during the 2025 NCAA Tournament after getting the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region.

By some accounts, Clemson is under-seeded. 

They were the No. 10-ranked team in the latest AP Poll and are the No. 12-ranked team out of the field of 68.

That hints that they are closer to a No. 3 seed than No. 5, as a down year for the ACC could have certainly played a part in that.

The Tigers have drawn a difficult matchup in the first round against the McNeese State Cowboys, the winners of the Southland Conference. 

Former LSU Tigers head coach Will Wade has done an incredible job of turning things around, going 57-10 in two years at the helm. Prior to that, the team finished under the .500 mark for 11 straight campaigns.

He has them in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and only the fourth time in program history.

They will assuredly be a popular pick to upset Clemson, but Brad Brownell has an experienced squad that knows what it takes to find success in March.

What is going to keep them avoiding the upset and making another run in the NCAA Tournament?

Senior big man Viktor Lakhin is a good barometer for how the team is going to perform on the court.

“Lakhin, literally the big man on Clemson's campus at 6-11 and 245 pounds, is a living, breathing mood ring for the Tigers. When he's on his game, the Tigers are tough to beat, with arguably the ACC's best backcourt (Hunter and Zackery) and crafty Schieffelin. But Lakhin has had 11 games this season with single-digit scoring, including in losses to South Carolina, Georgia Tech and Louisville,” wrote Joe Lunardi of ESPN (subscription required).

Lakhin is one of four players on Clemson's roster who is averaging double-figure points per game with 11.6. He has the highest shooting percentage amongst players who average at least 3.4 shots per game, hitting 50.7% of his shots from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range.

Second on the team with 6.3 rebounds per game and fifth in assists with 1.5, Lakhin also makes an impact defensively.

He is the only player on the team who averages at least 1.0 steals and blocks per contest.

A two-way difference maker, he is going to play a big part in determining how much success the Tigers have in the NCAA Tournament.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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