Fresh off breaking into the AP poll’s top 20, Clemson men’s basketball suffered a setback Tuesday night, falling to NC State 80-76 in an overtime thriller at Littlejohn Coliseum.
With the loss, the Wolfpack, 13-6, 4-2 ACC, snapped Clemson’s, 16-4, 6-1 ACC, nine-game winning streak. This marks the Tigers’ first defeat in nearly two months, after last falling to BYU.
The matchup marked the second meeting between head coaches Brad Brownell and Will Wade, who also attended and coached at Clemson. Last year, Wade led No. 12-seed McNeese State to an upset over No. 5 Clemson in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, adding intrigue to an already anticipated ACC showdown.
However, that intrigue ultimately gave way to execution — or lack thereof — as turnovers proved costly.
Clemson committed a season-high 13 turnovers compared to NC State’s seven, a stark contrast for a team that entered the game ranked No. 17 nationally in turnovers per game at just 9.6. Missed opportunities at the free-throw line also proved costly, as the Tigers went 15-for-24 from the stripe, including two critical misses from senior RJ Godfrey in the second half.
“I thought our turnovers were killers, obviously points off turnovers,” Brownell said following the loss. “I didn’t think our guards played as well tonight as they’ve been playing. We had some poor decision-making and took a couple of bad shots.”
“Then, obviously, the free throws. You make 15 out of 25, and they make 22 out of 25. The game went to overtime, so a point here and a point there, we still had a couple of chances … It was one of those games where we didn’t play well enough to win against a good team.”
Starting guard Jestin Porter started the game off hot, drilling two 3-pointers in the first minute of the contest. Forward Carter Welling and redshirt freshman Ace Buckner also provided an early boost, as the trio combined for 21 points and six rebounds in the first half.
The Wolfpack traded punches with the Tigers before taking the lead for the final eight minutes of the half, which they wouldn’t give back until the final minute of regulation. The starting triad of Paul McNeil Jr., Quadir Copeland and Ven-Allen Lubin led the way, combining for 26 points, six rebounds and five assists through the first 20 minutes.
“Copeland is a handful because of his size, strength and his passing ability,” Brownell said post-game. “Then, Ven-Allen Lubin is a good player that we actually recruited out of high school. [He] benefits because of the space sometimes, and tonight he was able to get into space and make plays.”
While Clemson struggled to knock down early shots it usually makes, the team found a spark late in the half. Entering the final minute, Welling went airborne for a ferocious dunk, followed by a Buckner 3-pointer that sent Littlejohn Coliseum into a frenzy heading into halftime.
The 5-point swing of momentum carried over, as Clemson outscored NC State 10-8 to open the second frame, reigniting the home crowd.
With just under 10 minutes remaining and the Tigers trailing by three, Clemson forced a critical turnover before senior Godfrey scored to pull his team within one.
Despite the surge, turnovers continued to haunt Clemson.
The Tigers struggled to protect the ball from start to finish, allowing the Wolfpack to capitalize on 19 total points off giveaways in the contest.
Clemson’s bench played a major role in keeping the game close, outscoring NC State 25-9 and providing a much-needed offensive spark.
Clemson tightened up defensively down the stretch, holding NC State scoreless from the field for nearly four minutes late in regulation. Senior guard Dillon Hunter knocked down a tough off-the-dribble 3-pointer soon after, and Welling followed by converting two free throws to tie the game at 67 apiece.
Godfrey then delivered a momentum-shifting and-1 with just over a minute remaining to give Clemson its first lead since early in the game, but NC State responded at the line to tie it once again. Neither team could convert in the closing moments of regulation, forcing overtime.
NC State took control in the extra period, building a late lead behind timely shot-making and defensive stops. Clemson struggled to find a rhythm in overtime, allowing the Wolfpack to pull away and secure the victory.
As of now, Brownell and company still sit atop the majority of the ACC, holding the No. 2 spot under a 17-1 Duke team.
Clemson will look to bounce back on Saturday, Jan. 24, when the Tigers travel to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech — fresh off a win over NC State — at McCamish Pavilion, with tipoff set for noon.
