Clemson did what many expected them to do on Wednesday night, as they defeated Wake Forest in the second round of the ACC Tournament.
Unfortunately, the night wasn't all good for the No. 5-seeded Tigers, given that one their main contributors went down with a scary looking injury.
What happened
Carter Welling, Clemson's starting big man, drove to the basket and attempted to pump fake. He immediately collapsed to the floor and couldn't get up without help, as his teammates had to help him head directly to the locker room.
Duke gets brutal Caleb Foster news after he injured himself vs. UNC
Welling was emotional as he was helped off the court, and didn't return back to the bench until late in the second half, wearing a knee brace while needing crutches to navigate.
Early signs point to Welling missing Thursday's ACC Tournament Quarterfinal
After the game, head coach Brad Brownell was asked about Welling's injury, noting that he will undergo an MRI to determine the severity. While he wasn't definitively ruling him out for Thursday's quarterfinal matchup against North Carolina, he didn't sound confident that he would be able to suit up and play.
“I find it unlikely he will play [Thursday]," Brownell said. But I haven’t been told anything definitive.”
Welling was a problem for UNC in the first meeting
Just eight days prior, these two teams squared off in Chapel Hill on UNC's 'senior night." Welling caused havoc for the Tar Heels, as he played a large role in helping the Tigers control the pain, securing a 34-18 advantage in the points in the paint category.
Overall, Welling scored 13 points and recorded eight rebounds and three blocks over 30 minutes of action. He did a great job of protecting the paint and altering shots, two areas that will be sorely missed if he's unable to go on Thursday night.
UNC must capitalize
This is unfortunate news to say the least. At this time of year, you hope that every team is as healthy as possible, something that North Carolina hasn't been able to be.
If anyone can relate to brutal injury news, it's the 2025-2026 Tar Heels.
3 ACC tournament injuries robbing fans of joy including Caleb Wilson for UNC
If Welling is unable to play, the Tar Heels must put even more of an emphasis on attacking the paint and controlling the glass. Clemson does have additional size to work with (Nick Davidson being the likely candidate to start in Welling's absence), but if North Carolina can get the guards, particularly Seth Trimble, working down hill, they may be able to put Clemson in some foul trouble, making it even more difficult for Brownwell to fill the void left by Welling's absence.