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.