The Clemson men’s basketball team defeated the N.C. State Wolfpack 80-54 in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament Thursday night.
The Tigers (23-9, 14-6 ACC) delivered the knockout blow to the Wolfpack, as Thursday night was the third time that Clemson defeated N.C. State (23-10, 12-8 ACC) this season, with this win being the most important of the three matchups.
The victory strengthens the team’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament, as the Tigers were consistently on the outside of the bubble over the past few weeks. A dominant performance against a Quadrant 1 opponent brings them back into the conversation.
Head coach Brad Brownell and his team started the game with a slow start. The Wolfpack came out strong, holding a nine-point lead with 10:43 left in the first half. However, Clemson was able to take control through a huge 11-0 run to take a three-point lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Tigers only added to their hot finish, going on a 20-4 scoring run to pull away and secure a huge tournament win to advance to the semifinal.
It was a team effort for the Tigers, with seven players with eight points or more. PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin led the team with 15 points each. Both also scored three 3-pointers in the win.
“We’ve been a tournament team all year, and we know that,” Hall said on ACC Network after the win. “Regardless of what people are saying on the outside, we knew that we had to come in here and get a win, not just for that but also for the tournament. We have some bigger goals right now than looking at the NET.”
Hunter Tyson recorded another double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Clemson’s bench scored 20 points, with Dillon Hunter and Ben Middlebrooks adding eight points each after Brevin Galloway and Hall got in foul trouble early.
“A lot of guys played well,” Brownell said. “Our bench was fantastic.”
Clemson goes back to work on Friday, as it will face off against the Virginia Cavaliers at 9:30 p.m. EST for a chance to advance to the ACC Championship game.
