Dec 16, 2025

Buckner Career-High Leads Clemson to State Championship Win

Tigers down Gamecocks 68-61 on Tuesday night in Littlejohn Coliseum

CLEMSON, S.C. – Ace Buckner (Dallas, Texas/La Lumiere School (Ind.) turned in a career-high 19 points off the bench in Clemson University men’s basketball’s 68-61 win over South Carolina on Tuesday night in Littlejohn Coliseum.

Buckner played a career-best 30 minutes and made a career-high seven shots en route to his 19-point evening. Buckner also added seven rebounds – tying a career-high. He added one assist and two steals.

The Tigers (9-3) were led by Buckner and Carter Welling (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon/Utah Valley) who finished with a season-high 16 points, four rebounds and three steals. Welling drew a game-high 14 fouls.

Dillon Hunter (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) was steady as the Tigers’ lead guard finished with a game-high six assists – a new season-best for the senior.

Clemson got down seven points early to start the game, but it would be the largest deficit they would face the rest of the contest. Down 9-2 at the 15:45 mark of the opening stanza, the Tigers engineered an 18-3 run to take a 20-12 over the ensuing six minutes of action.

The Tigers took a 34-27 lead into the locker room. The Gamecocks got as close as six points in the second half, but the Tigers were able to hold them at bay with a double-digit lead most of the half and finished with the seven-point victory.

Clemson’s defense stifled South Carolina. The Gamecocks shot just 37.3 percent from the field, including its second-worst 3-point shooting percentage of the season (15.4).

The Tigers return to the court on Sunday, Dec. 21 when it plays Cincinnati in the Greenville Winter Invitational in Greenville, S.C. The game will be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 3 p.m. and air on ESPN.

Notes: Clemson improved to 9-3 with the win and 82-93 overall against South Carolina … the Tigers now hold a 40-21 upper hand in the series since the Gamecocks left the ACC following the 1971-72 season … Head Coach Brad Brownell won his 301st game at Clemson and the 468th of his career … Brownell is now 8-7 against South Carolina in his career … Clemson is now 16-6 in its last 22 games against the SEC … Ace Buckner scored a career-high 19 points on a career-best seven made field goals … Buckner tied a career-high with seven rebounds … Carter Welling scored a season-high 16 points and tied his career-high with three steals … Dillon Hunter dished out a season-best six assists.