Men’s Basketball Defeats Wake Forest 71-46

Feb. 7, 1998

By PETE IACOBELLIAP Sports Writer

CLEMSON, S.C.(AP) – Reserves Harold Jamison and Tony Christie combined for 28 points and found some of Clemson’s missing punch as the Tigers ended their four-game losing streak with a 71-46 victory Saturday over Wake Forest.

The Tigers (13-10, 4-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) were once a top-10 team, but have had slumped the past month with some miserable shooting performances.

And while leading scorers Greg Buckner and Terrell McIntyre struggled again with just 16 points between them, Jamison and Christie sparked a second-half 18-5 run that put the game out of reach.

Jamison and Christie finished with 14 points apiece.

Wake Forest (12-9, 4-6) started five freshmen for the second straight game and the inexperience came through with five turnovers and just two baskets in the nine-minute stretch.

Freshman star Robert O’Kelley led Wake Forest with 12 points, his lowest total since he scored 11 against Utah on Dec. 6.

O’Kelley’s jumper put Wake Forest ahead 31-30 with 18:46 to go when the Tigers took off.

Christie, who is second in ACC 3-point percentage, hit two straight long-range baskets and 8 points overall in the run. Jamison, who scored 12 first-half points, added two free throws and tipped the ball clear for a Vincent Whitt jam that gave Clemson a 50-36 lead.

The Tigers shot just 37.5 percent in losing at Maryland and were a horrible 21-of-71 against Georgia Tech this past Wednesday. But rebounded to 50 percent (24-of-48) in beating Wake Forest for just the second time in their last 10 meetings.

Wake Forest had won four of its past six with its mostly freshman lineup. Suspended sophomore 7-footer Loren Woods, who returned to practice with the Deacons this week, did not make the trip to Littlejohn Coliseum.

Wake Forest trailed 25-18 with 2:31 left in the half, but scored 10 points over the next 1:18. Rafael Vidaurreta had 4 points and Arinze a three-point play to cap the run.

Tony Rutland’s free throws gave the Demon Deacons a 29-28 halftime lead.