Clemson defeated the Virginia Cavaliers to capture its sixth straight victory, winning 71-58 at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The win extends the record for most ACC wins in a season in program history. Brad Brownell and his team have now won 16 games in the conference, with a chance to extend it as more games approach at the end of the season. The win marks the seventh straight win on the road, which is also the most in program history.
The victory can be attributed to Clemson’s second-half heroics. Down five at the break, the Tigers surged forward with a 20-2 run early in the second, capturing a lead they never let up. Forward Ian Schieffelin notched 9 points during the run, recording 13 total in the period.
After one of the better halves the Cavaliers have had this season, Clemson (24-5, 16-2 ACC) outscored Virginia 44-26 in the second. The defensive effort marks the seventh time this season Clemson has held an ACC opponent to under 60 points.
The Tigers dominated on the glass, with 48 points in the paint. Schieffelin was quite prominent on the interior, shooting 8-for-11 with 21 points and 13 rebounds. This marks his second straight 20-point performance and ninth double-double of the season.
Center Viktor Lakhin contributed to the paint excellence, scoring 14 points. The transfer senior also notched eight rebounds and five assists.
Clemson needed to perform in the paint, as it struggled from beyond the arc. On Saturday, Clemson shot 10% from beyond the arc, making just a single 3-pointer and going 1-for-10. Virginia shot 42% from beyond the arc, going 8-for-19. Until today, Virginia had made at least 10 3-pointers in seven of its last 10 outings. Guard Isaac McKneely led the Wahoos in scoring with 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting.
Despite efficiency issues on the perimeter, guard Jaeden Zackery made an impact with 12 points.
Clemson remains tied for second in the ACC, just a single game behind the Duke Blue Devils. With a double-bye already clinched, the Tigers will be vying for the No. 1 seed in the ACC but will need some help from other opponents to take the regular season title.
With only two regular season games remaining, Clemson is headed to Conte Forum to take on the Boston College Eagles on Wednesday. The team wraps up the season at Littlejohn Coliseum next week, facing the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday, March 8.
