CLEMSON BASKETBALL

Clemson makes it six in a row, overpowering NC State
Chase Hunter scored some big buckets down the stretch and all game. (Clemson athletics graphic)

Clemson makes it six in a row, overpowering NC State


by Grayson Mann - Correspondent -

Clemson’s week off might’ve eased some bumps and bruises of a long season, but one thing that didn’t change over the break was the Tigers’ winning ways.

The offense overcame a sluggish outing in the second half, doing enough to extend Clemson’s win streak to six with a 68-58 victory over NC State.

The Tigers entered the locker room at halftime shooting over 50 percent from the field, but that success wasn’t entirely replicated entering the second half.

Viktor Lakhin and Chauncey Wiggins recorded early makes, but those shots were the only ones that would fall for quite some time.

Clemson entered an eight-minute scoring drought that set the tone for an offensive struggle for both squads.

Leave it to Chase Hunter to break that stalemate, who scored six points in two minutes, dragging the Tigers out of an extended funk.

Hunter finished with 20 points, rounding back to form after missing a majority of the action in Blacksburg with the flu.

While it was a struggle offensively for the Tigers at times, it was a nightmare for NC State for the entire afternoon.

The Wolfpack endured multiple scoring droughts, being worn down by Brad Brownell’s defense on their home floor.

NC State finished the afternoon shooting 38 percent from the field, marking a tough outing in what’s been a less-than-desirable season for Kevin Keatt’s unit.

Lakhin’s resurgence continued on the road, recording another double-double on the year. He was Clemson’s second-leading scorer on the afternoon, dealing most of his damage inside against Ben Middlebrooks, who encountered some foul trouble throughout the contest.

This is Lakhin’s third straight game logging double figures.

Despite Hunter shouldering more offensive responsibility back in the starting lineup, Wiggins continued to supply Clemson with a string of consistent outings. He finished with 11 points on Saturday afternoon, making the Tigers 11-0 when he records double figures.

Another metric that saw a boost on Saturday was Clemson’s NCAA NET metric quad-two record, moving to 5-2 in that category with the win over the Wolfpack.

The Tigers are 10-1 in the ACC with the victory, reaching that mark in conference play for the second time in three seasons. They also move to 5-1 on the road in the conference.

Clemson will look to continue its winning ways back home in Littlejohn, hosting Georgia Tech on Tuesday, February 4th, at 9:00 p.m. on the ACC Network.


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