Matt Mynes // Photo Editor
Clemson guard Chase Hunter (1) prepares for an inbound pass against Duke in Littlejohn Coliseum on Jan. 14, 2022.
Chase Hunter and Hunter Tyson propelled the Tigers past Florida State University on Saturday, helping Clemson escape Tallahassee with a hard-fought 82-81 win.
Tyson led the Tigers in scoring with 27 points, including six 3-pointers, while Hunter, who missed the last three games with an ankle injury, poured in 26 points himself. However, it was Hunter’s late-game heroics that ultimately secured a victory for Clemson.
Clemson trailed Florida State 81-79 with eight seconds left in the game, and after a Clemson timeout, Hunter converted an and-1 layup to give the Tigers the victory.
“He makes you look good as a coach,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said of Hunter’s late-game heroics. “He’s got tremendous speed. He’s athletic. He can get to the rim. He can make a three. He’s not easy to guard in that scenario. It’s a hard cover. He obviously did a nice job of attacking the basket and making a good decision.”
Clemson (18-4, 10-1 ACC) played far from a perfect game but still remains atop the ACC standings. The Tigers squandered an early 14-point lead and turned the ball over 18 times, contributing to the 81 points given up — the third-most Clemson has allowed all season.
“I’m anxious to watch the film,” Brownell said. “Our defense wasn’t as good as it needed to be, and I need to figure out why that was.”
Despite those areas that the Tigers need to improve on, Clemson was collectively able to hit 10 3-pointers and force 13 turnovers of its own. The Tigers were also able to out-rebound the Seminoles 38-27 as a team.
With the victory, Clemson won its first game at Florida State since the 2014-15 season.
Next up for the Tigers will be a matchup on the road against Boston College on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. EST.