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Clemson Tigers football head coach Dabo Swinney shared congratulatory messages with Joe Girard III and the Clemson basketball team following their Sweet 16 victory over the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats. With this victory, the No. 6 seeded Tigers have booked their berth in the Elite 8 for the first time since 1980.
In a video shared on social media, Joe Girard III was seen Facetiming Dabo Swinney after the Tigers record 77-72 victory in the Sweet 16. During the call, Girard stated that he was "trying to get his quarterback" referring to his footballing days back when he was in High School.
Before transitioning into the world of basketball, Girard played football for Glens Falls High School. He also led them to a state title victory in 2016.
After finishing high school, he received a scholarship to pursue both sports with Tulane. But in the end, he decided to pursue basketball and began his collegiate journey with the Syracuse Orange back in 2019.
How does Joseph Girard III's college career look?
As a true freshman, Girard was named as Syracuse's starting point guard. During his debut campaign, he played in 32 games while averaging 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
He played for four seasons with the Syracuse Orange, during which he averaged a total of 13.2 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Joe Girard III then decided to transfer to Clemson for his final year of collegiate eligibility. This season, the 23-year-old point guard has averaged 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Clemson Tigers on the court, along with a field goal percentage of 42.9%.
Clemson Tigers advance to the Elite 8
Despite coming in as underdogs in the matchup against the Arizona Wildcats, the Tigers put up an impressive defensive performance to shut down the rhythm of Arizona's offense, including star player Caleb Love.
Love was unable to showcase his scoring brilliance, which was a key factor in Arizona's successful run this campaign. The UNC transfer could only succeed on 5-of-18 shots he took from the floor while failing to land even a single three-pointer (0-of-9).
The Tigers are now scheduled to face Alabama, who also pulled off an upset victory over the No. 1 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in their Sweet 16 clash. Will an underdog emerge victorious in this year's NCAA tournament? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
