Clemson powers past Radford

Ian Schieffelin scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds (Clemson athletics photo).

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Thursday, November 21 2024

CLEMSON - Clemson sought redemption in the comfortable confines of Littlejohn. Chauncey Wiggins helped ensure the bruises from Boise could heal much quicker.

He led the way with 16 points as the Tigers cruised past Radford, 79-51

Following a road trip where Chase Hunter was Clemson’s sole offensive answer, seeing other contributors was at the top of Brad Brownell’s wish list. Multiple Tigers found a way to step up, providing a more balanced attack against the Highlanders.

Wiggins led the way and found his best play coming at the right time to put Clemson back into the win column. In his last two outings, he shot 20 percent or worse from the field, struggling to find a rhythm within the offense.

That script was flipped on Thursday night.

Wiggins scored a season-high 16 points, shooting an efficient 63 percent (7-11) from the field and draining two three-pointers from beyond the arc. His 16 was also good for a new career high, edging out his 15-point performance against South Carolina in 2023.

Thats 🔟 for @cwiggins30 pic.twitter.com/1HJJAHhK5s
— Clemson Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) November 22, 2024

As Clemson looks for a reliable second scorer behind Hunter, Wiggins’ efforts may signify things to come.

The junior forward wasn’t the only one who rediscovered their groove on the hardwood.

Dillon Hunter put together a career night against the Highlanders, dropping 15 points while recording his first double-digit performance of his career.

Hunter gave the Tigers sufficient offense off the bench, contributing to several second-half runs that put Radford away to secure the victory. Hunter’s shooting beyond the arc also led the way for a return to efficiency from the three-point line for the Tiger offense.

Against the Broncos, Clemson struggled consistently to shoot from beyond the arc, only converting 24 percent of their shots from deep. Returning home also coincided with a consistency restoration, with the Tigers nailing over 40 percent of their makes from downtown.

Another aspect of the Tigers’ on-court product that returned was the defensive performance. Throughout the entire 40 minutes, Littlejohn was a house of horrors for the Highlander offense, as Clemson corralled Radford from start to finish.

In that stretch, Radford shot 29.6 percent (16-54) from the field while only cashing in on only 20 percent of their shots from deep. (4-20) The Highlanders didn’t turnover the ball at a high rate, but Brownell’s defense forced tough shots the entire evening, forcing several blocks in the process.

Clemson heads to Daytona Beach for the Sunshine Slam, beginning with facing the San Francisco Dons on Monday, November 25th, at 6:30 p.m. on The CBS Sports Network.