CLEMSON -- Clemson AD Graham Neff met with a small group of media today to discuss the basketball program and Brad Brownell.
As anticipated -- and as Tigerillustrated.com reported last week -- Neff is sticking with Brownell after the Tigers fell just short of an NCAA Tournament.
Become a subscriber at Tigerillustrated.com!
Here are some of the key points and takeaways from what Neff shared:
-- Making the NCAA Tournament was the clear expectation entering this season, as Neff outlined in his letter to donors after last season.
Though the Tigers narrowly missed out on the tournament, Neff considers this an NCAA Tournament team after the long list of accomplishments this team racked up.
ALSO SEE: MONDAY INSIDER | The latest on Air Noland | The status of Brad Brownell
He and Brownell met first thing this morning, and Neff said he's "excited to move forward with Brad."
"I'm really pleased with what was accomplished with the team, and the leadership of the team," he said.
Neff said he doesn't anticipate changes to Brownell's contract, which has three years remaining.
-- Brownell's teams have three NCAA appearances in 13 seasons, and Neff said he understands if one faction of fans finds that unacceptable. Yet he's more prone to evaluating the body of work over the last 5-6 years, which coincides with greater investment in the basketball program from the administration.
To that end, Neff said Clemson later this spring will announce a $40 million basketball operations center that will expand the practice space and other facets in the men's and women's programs.
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
"I hope the NCAA becomes a minimum," he said. "Yes, we weren't selected last night. But I view us as an NCAA Tournament team. I want to plan for the NCAA Tournament, and continue to raise the bar of expectations. I hope to always be in a position with the program where that's a legitimate offseason expectation. It was last year and it will be this year."
-- Neff said there was not one moment that made him convicted that he was going to bring Brownell back. But he did say it's safe to say he essentially made the decision late in the regular season.
In his office he already has a picture of a packed Littlejohn Coliseum for the Duke game. He said apathy in the fan base certainly wasn't present that day, or plenty of other home games this season.
-- Neff said he has some serious concerns about the ACC's diminished prestige, given that the conference has put just five teams in the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons.
"This year we were on the wrong side of it with North Carolina, and last year Wake Forest was on the wrong side of it. We have a lot of work to do as a league."
He mentioned discussing the metrics, how many league games should be played, and non-conference scheduling.
He said he talked to ACC commissioner Jim Phillips "a lot" in the days leading to the selection show, and then again last night.
He's talked with people even outside the league who have told him: "Gosh, that doesn't seem right" about the NCAA snub.
"We have a lot of conviction that (NCAA bid) is what was earned," he said.
-- Neff said Brownell earns high marks for how he's run the program. He said stability is an underrated quality Brownell brings.
"Compliance, academics, former players -- doing it the right way. That gives you so much excitement."
Become a subscriber at Tigerillustrated.com!
-- Neff also pushed back on the idea that this season was a stars-aligning type of situation, and a decline is coming next year.
"I think there are opportunities for the stars to align next year to the point that you're not sweating on selection Sunday," he said.
STOREWIDE SALE on a lot of Clemson apparel at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
