If the Clemson Tigers had finished their early-March comeback against North Carolina, they could very well be sitting pretty in the Big Dance rather than settling for a 2 seed in the NIT.

The 19-13 Tigers were down 77-70 with 1:09 left on the clock against the Heels. They were able to pull within a point with nine seconds left but couldn't get over the hump, succumbing 81-79 in what was a season-defining moment.

The 31st-ranked team in numberFire's nERD metric thrived on defense all season (they were, coincidentally, also ranked 31st in numberFire's defensive efficiency rankings), but they scored just 69.0 points per game, which ranked a paltry 271st in the NCAA, just above the Missouri State Bears.

They'll look for some redemption tomorrow night as they kick off their NIT campaign against Wright State.