In a must-win game, the Clemson men’s basketball team defeated the Syracuse Orange 91-73 at Littlejohn Coliseum Wednesday night. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the game.
Paws up: Hunter Tyson’s heroics
Hunter Tyson was everywhere against the Orange, putting up a double-double with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
Tyson also had an efficient game from beyond the 3-point arc, shooting an impressive 6-of-12 and leading both teams in 3-pointers made. The fifth-year forward was able to put a lackluster shooting display against Louisville behind him, where he only shot 2-9 from deep last Saturday.
The Tigers’ forward also shot 100% from the free throw line, making all 3 of his free throw attempts at the line.
Paws up: Offensive consistency
Clemson seemed to score with ease against the Orange, scoring 91 points in the game, 42 of which came from beyond the arc. The Tigers also scored consistently, pouring in 45 points in the first half and 46 points in the second.
The starters for the Clemson team were all able to reach double-digit scoring, with three of the starters, Tyson, PJ Hall and Brevin Galloway scoring 15 points or more.
The Tigers also passed the ball well, having 28 assists against seven turnovers in the game. The 28 assists were the most assists Clemson has had in an ACC game since 1987, according to Clemson basketball’s Ben Winterrowd.
Paws down: Struggles at the line
Although Clemson has shot well from the charity stripe all season, it struggled this time around, shooting 60% on 15 attempts. This poor free-throw shooting was rather uncharacteristic of the Tigers, who had hit 80% from the line all season before Wednesday.
Forward Ian Schieffelin shot 0-3 from the free throw line, which is unusual for the forward who was previously shooting 75.7% from the line this season.
Paws up: Rebounding
Coach Brad Brownell’s team was able to pull down 38 rebounds in the game, outrebounding the Orange by 10.
Schieffelin and Tyson led the way on the glass, combining for 18 rebounds. Schieffelin had a game-high six offensive rebounds.
For a team that Brownell challenged to rebound better a few weeks ago, Clemson’s effort against Syracuse is a step in the right direction.
Paws down: First-half fouls
Clemson had a rough first half when it came to fouls, committing 11 fouls against Syracuse, putting the Orange in the double bonus.
Clemson guard Alex Hemenway had two fouls in the first seven minutes of the game, putting him in trouble early. Clemson guards Dillon Hunter and Brevin Galloway also committed two fouls each in the first half.
In the final nine minutes of the half, the Tigers had eight fouls called on them, and while it didn’t play a role in the final outcome, giving teams free points at the line could be detrimental when it matters most.
