Clemson athletics had no shortage of exciting games last week. Postseason play for both the men’s and women’s soccer teams, men’s basketball moving onto a five-game undefeated streak, and football returning the Palmetto Trophy back home created a busy schedule for the Tigers.
Here are the Tiger Trophies for the week of Nov. 19-25:
Athlete of the week: Khalil Barnes
Barnes, a freshman safety for the Tigers, was a superstar against South Carolina on Saturday. Barnes started the Palmetto Bowl by scoring a touchdown for the Tigers on the second play of the game, as he scooped up a fumble and ran it 42 yards into the end zone. This touchdown would be the only one scored by the Tigers in the game against the Gamecocks.
Barnes followed this play up on the first play of the next drive with an interception to give the Tigers the ball back. Barnes’ dominant play didn’t stop there, as he finished the game with four solo tackles, as well as two passes defended, to earn himself ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors.
Game of the week: Clemson women’s soccer vs. Georgia
The Clemson women’s soccer team advanced in the NCAA Tournament after tying Georgia 1-1, then defeating the Bulldogs in penalties by a score of 5-3 on Sunday in Clemson.
The game almost ended in regulation, tied at 0-0. Georgia finally got on the board when midfielder Croix Bethune slipped through the Tigers’ back line in the 84th minute — however, Clemson responded quickly with a goal from Megan Bornkamp in the 88th minute, tying the score with just two minutes left.
Neither side was able to pull away in overtime, forcing the Tigers and Bulldogs to go into penalty kicks. Clemson went a perfect five for five to beat Georgia’s three and were able to advance in the tournament to take on Penn State and ultimately head to the College Cup for the first time in program history.
Best crowd: Clemson men’s basketball vs. Alcorn State
Although Clemson was in the middle of its Thanksgiving break, Clemson fans showed up to watch the men’s basketball team take on Alcorn State, as the game had 5,791 fans in attendance. The Tigers ended up winning the game against Alcorn State by a score of 90-69 on Friday in Littlejohn Coliseum.
Clemson was led by senior center PJ Hall, who had a career-high 29 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks for the Tigers. This is just one of Hall’s many dominant games of the season, as he has now averaged 21.4 points per contest.
Clemson guard Chase Hunter also had an impressive game with 18 points, two rebounds, and seven assists. The duo of Hall and Hunter has proven to be essential for the Tigers and will need to continue to play at a high level as Clemson plays Alabama on Tuesday, Nov. 28, in Tuscaloosa.
Most surprising: Clemson women’s basketball vs. Longwood
The Clemson women’s basketball team bounced back from a 109-40 loss against South Carolina to defeat Longwood 102-63 on Sunday. This game served as Clemson’s fourth win of the season in five games.
Graduate guard Dayshanette Harris led the Tigers with 20 points, two rebounds, five assists and three steals for Clemson. Harris shot an efficient six for nine from the field and five for eight from the free-throw line to lead the Tigers in their victory.
Clemson’s defensive efforts were a highlight for the team, as they had 12 steals and two blocks against Longwood. The Tigers forced a total of 21 turnovers in the game, compared to turning the ball over 15 times. Clemson also held Longwood to only 26 made shots of its 61 attempts.
Most disappointing: Clemson women’s basketball at Tulsa
The Clemson women’s basketball team lost its third game of the season against Tulsa by a score of 74-64 last Saturday. The Tigers started the season off strong, winning four of their first five games; however, they dropped their next two and now sit at a 5-3 record.
Clemson was led by graduate forward Amari Robinson, who had 29 points, four rebounds and two assists. Robinson also shot 11 for 18 from the field and six for six from the free-throw line to cap off an impressive performance.
However, only one other Tiger scored double digits in the game against Tulsa as Maddi Cluse, a junior guard, had 10 points for Clemson. The Clemson women’s basketball team is back in action at Auburn on Thursday.
