Clemson vs McNeese basketball Injury report and predictions, March 20: Latest on Dillon Hunter, Alyn Breed, and more

Clemson vs McNeese is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Mar. 20, at 3:15 p.m. ET. The No. 5-seeded Clemson Tigers (27-6) will take on the No. 12-seeded McNeese State Cowboys (27-6) in one of the first games of the first round in March Madness. It is projected to be a closer game than fans would expect from a 5 vs. 12 game.

Heading into the game, the injury report will be a factor. While neither team is dealing with a significant number of injuries, neither team is fully healthy. How each team manages its injuries could impact the result of the game.

Clemson vs McNeese basketball injuries

Dillon Hunter, Clemson

The Clemson Tigers will be without one of their top rotational players, Dillon Hunter. Hunter was an effective scorer off the bench this season and will not be available for Clemson vs McNeese because of a hand injury. He suffered the injury on Mar. 13 against SMU and is not expected to return for March Madness.

Ace Buckner, Clemson

The Clemson Tigers will also be without freshman Ace Buckner. Buckner did not get the opportunity to play this season because of a preseason upper-body injury. He has been ruled out for the season.

Alyn Breed, McNeese

Alyn Breed looked like he was going to be a big breakout star this season with the McNeese State Cowboys. He averaged 17.5 points per game in his first two games but then went down with a knee injury. He has been out of the lineup ever since and is still listed as out on the injury report. So, he will not be available for Clemson vs McNeese.

Clemson vs McNeese basketball prediction

For a matchup between a No. 5-seeded team and a No. 12-seeded team, the odds are fairly close. Clemson is a -345 favorite according to Draftkings, and McNeese is a +275 underdog.

Clemson is coming off a 76-73 loss to Louisville in the ACC Tournament. Before that, the Tigers were one of the hottest teams in college basketball, winning their previous nine games. Conversely, McNeesee won the Southland Tournament and has won 11 games in a row heading into March Madness.

While McNeese is hot at the moment, we think Clemson will come out on top in a close matchup.

Prediction: Clemson 69, McNeese 65