CLEMSON, S.C. — Jim Boeheim looks at Rakeem Christmas, at other frontcourts around the nation and doesn’t see much better.

“He’s probably the best center in the country, that’s all I can say,” Boeheim said.

Christmas delivered his sixth double-double for Syracuse (13-5, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) in the Orange’s 66-53 loss to Clemson (10-7, 2-3) on Saturday evening in front of 10,000 at Littlejohn Coliseum. He was double-teamed — as he has been through much of the season — throughout the game and tallied 21 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes.

After the game, Boeheim put his star player among college basketball’s best. He joked that Christmas couldn’t be that good since he’s not on a Top 25 team before going on to compliment the big man.

Boeheim’s comments came three days after the 25-player Wooden Award watch list was released without Christmas’ name on it.

The SU senior is the second-leading scorer in the ACC with 18.3 points per game, trailing only Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, who did make the Wooden watch list. Christmas is averaging 21 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in conference play.

“Based on the numbers, what he’s been doing, they’re tremendous,” Boeheim said. “They’re doubling him every time, they’re fouling him on every play and he just keeps playing unbelievable.”