The Clemson’s men’s basketball team (20-8, 12-5 ACC) defeated the Syracuse Orange (16-12, 9-8 ACC) by a score of 91-73 at Littlejohn Coliseum on Wednesday night.
The Tigers started the first half strong, jumping out to a 13-3 lead in the first four minutes of play. From there, they never looked back, as they held a 13-point lead at halftime and only extended it in the second half.
The story of the game was Hunter Tyson. After a stretch of low-scoring performances, the fifth-year forward got back to his early-season form. In 34 minutes, he put up 29 points and 10 rebounds, recording his 13th double-double this season.
“It’s all credit to my teammates,” Tyson said after the game. “Those guys did a great job passing the ball in the right spot.”
Tyson’s night was highlighted with 14 minutes left in the second half when he drove to the basket and put in a two-handed dunk over a defender that sent Littlejohn into a frenzy.
The Tigers’ 2022-23 team is also going into the record books. With its 12th win in conference play on Wednesday, the team set a new record for the most conference wins in school history.
“It means a lot,” head coach Brad Brownell said on the accolade. “I’m super proud of our team. These kids have put in a lot of time and effort and hung in there.”
It was also a career night for guard Chase Hunter, who dished out a career-high 11 assists and poured in 13 points.
“That’s another part of my game,” Hunter said. “I’m a point guard now, so getting us involved that’s big for me.”
The 3-point shot was the name of the game for the Tigers, who made 14 of 36 attempts from beyond the arc. After a bad performance from 3-point range in their previous game, it was important for Brownell and the team to get back on track from distance.
“It’s just good for our team to see the ball going in,” Brownell said. “After a game where we shot 4-of-24, it was important to see the ball going in.”
After a disappointing performance against the Louisville Cardinals last weekend, the win helps Brownell and the Tigers’ chances of securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament conversation.
Next up, the Tigers will hit the road this weekend, traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina, to take on the N.C. State Wolfpack on Saturday.
