Clemson guards come up big to continue dominance over Seminoles |
CLEMSON - Clemson’s guard play came up big again to continue a dominating run versus an ACC rival and notch another key conference win down the stretch.
Behind 24 points from Joseph Girard III and 16 from Chase Hunter, the Tigers took the second game of the season over the Florida State Seminoles, 74-63. Clemson has won four in a row and seven of nine over FSU in the series between programs that meet twice a season. The Tigers improved to 19-8 overall and 9-7 in ACC action, sending the Seminoles to 14-13 overall and 8-8 in conference play. Clemson is projected as high as a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament currently among major national outlets. The win moves the Tigers into a three-way tie for fifth place in the ACC standings and a game back from Wake Forest and a double-bye spot in the D.C.-hosted ACC Tournament. Clemson plays at Wake Forest to close the regular season and also hosts a team it is tied with on Tuesday (Pitt). The Tigers finished on a strong note in a first half that lacked some rhythm. Clemson and FSU combined for 18 fouls by the final media break with 3:48 to go, and 19 total turnovers by the break. After the Tigers stretched the lead out to nine, the Seminoles worked it back to four points going into the final four minutes of the first half. Clemson didn’t hit a 3-pointer until 12 minutes passed in the game, but two triples from Chase Hunter – one hit at the halftime buzzer – extended the Tigers lead to 10, 38-28. Clemson hit 13-of-14 free throws in the first 20 minutes, while the Seminoles made all six attempted. Girard made four of those and scored a team-best nine by halftime. Hunter posted eight points and RJ Godrey was also at eight points. It was the fourth time in ACC play this season that the Tigers held an opponent under 30 points at the break (also at Syracuse, 24; Louisville, 22; at Pitt, 26). FSU was limited to 32.3% shooting overall and 20% from beyond the arc. "I thought we played very well defensively tonight. It was good to win a game with our defense," Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. "It was a hard game for us with PJ never getting in a rhythm...Some games are like that. I thought RJ was terrific. Maybe his best game at Clemson...Happy that our guys bounced back. Chase and Joe did some nice things and we were able to get a hard-fought league win." Despite a third foul and just two points from PJ Hall, Clemson extended its lead out to its largest yet, up 11, with 17 to go. A Girard 3-pointer answered an FSU bucket to go up 12 not long after. And Girard did the same again to make it a 13-point Clemson advantage with 15:34 to go. A tough Hunter and-one bucket through plenty of contact tacked on to make it a 14-point edge with 14:15 to go. Girard’s fourth triple of the night, on a second attempt of a possession, gave him 18 and kept the Tigers' lead at 14 with under 10 minutes left. The Seminoles went on a 9-0 run to bring the lead back under double-digits with six to go, at five, which was stopped by a thunderous dunk from Hunter to bring the noise level up in Littlejohn. Hall’s first points of the second half came through contact on a layup and built the Clemson edge to eight points after a made free throw with under five minutes left. Girard free throws extended the lead back to nine points with two minutes left. An Ian Schieffelin block and Jack Clark steal got the Tigers the ball back shortly after that, and Hall put in the dagger layup to effectively close things out. In the final minute, Hall was ejected on a double tech, as he was on four fouls already, from a post-foul get-together with an FSU player. Godfrey finished with 12 points off the bench. Schieffelin and Clark each notched 11 rebounds. Hunter scored a team-leading 14 points in the 78-67 win at Florida State last month. Hunter has averaged over four assists a game in the last five contests, scoring in double-figures each matchup. "Chase, the last 6-7 games it may be, has been playing unbelievable and has really taken our team to another level," Girard said. "He's been consistent all year...Every single game he's guarding the other team's best player, and he's playing point guard. It's hard when you're getting pressed 94 feet like these ACC teams do -- it's not easy. He's just battled and put on a show these last few games and it's helped us a lot. "We're clicking at the right time. Going into March, it's going to be huge." The Tigers stay at home and host Pitt on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. broadcast start (ACCN). Back to back buckets 🪣 @JG3_____ makes it look too easy. .@chunt3r2 BEATS THE BUZZER! 🚨🔥 Step back, BANG. @JG3_____ 🫡 .@chunt3r2 got that one to fall 😱 #SCTop10 THAT RIM HAD A FAMILY 😳 @chunt3r2 🚫 REJECTION 🚫@ClemsonMBB | CWpic.twitter.com/LkhoLLZPSL
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