Final Stats
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Clemson University men’s basketball led wire-to-wire in an 80-76 victory over No. 3 North Carolina on Tuesday night. The win was the program’s second-ever win on the road against the Tar Heels and also the highest ranked opponent Clemson has beaten on the opponents home court since Jan. 21, 1976. An 82-77 win at No. 2 Maryland.
The Tigers (15-7, 5-6 ACC) were led by PJ Hall (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) who finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Hall finished with four 3-pointers. Joseph Girard III (Glens Falls, N.Y./Glens Falls) totaled 21 points and connecting on five 3-pointers. He added six boards and three assists.
Ian Schieffelin (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) totaled his sixth double-double of the season and seventh of his career with a 14-point, 11-rebound performance. The ACC’s Most Improved Player candidate finished 5-of-7 from the field. Chase Hunter (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) added a team-high five assists to go with seven points.
Clemson jumped out to a 17-4 advantage in the opening stanza and pushed the lead to a game-high 16 points near the end of the first half at 41-25. Leading by nine at the break, Clemson held North Carolina at bay for most of the night, but the Tar Heels made a run.
With 8:57 remaining in the game, the Tar Heels engineered a 16-7 run to tie the game at 70-70 with a little over four minutes left.
Clemson responded with a 7-0 run themselves to seemingly put the game out of reach. A last-second three by RJ Davis close the seven-point deficit to just four and Clemson prevailed 80-76.
The Tigers finished with 14 assists and just five turnovers in the game.
Clemson returns to the court on Saturday, Feb. 10 when it stays on the road and travels north to Syracuse. Tip time is set for 12 p.m. on ESPN2.
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Brad Brownell
