Clemson unable to overcome historically bad first half, falling to McNeese

It was a tough game for Ian Schieffelin to close his Clemson career on.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Thursday, March 20 2025

PROVIDENCE – Too little, too late.

The Tigers (27-7) played a historically putrid offensive first half, not having enough to complete a late second-half comeback, and lost to McNeese (28-6), 69-67.

Clemson’s shooting woes traveled up to Providence for the first half, with the Tigers’ three-point struggles coming along for the ride.

The offense started 0-8 from deep, and the scoring droughts that plagued the Tigers in their loss to Louisville returned in the first half. In one instance, the offense recorded two baskets in seven minutes as McNeese pulled ahead with a sizeable lead.

Chase Hunter attributed those struggles to simply missing open looks, wondering what the result could've been had the Tigers seen a few early shots connect.

"They were playing good defense but I think we missed a lot of open shots," Hunter said. "We had a lot of open looks that we usually make. A few of those go in, it's a whole different ball game. So at the end of the day, I think we got a lot of open looks that we just missed and that's the game of basketball."

Ian Schieffelin picked up two early fouls, severely limiting the rotation early into the matchup. Myles Foster and Christian Reeves picked up extended minutes, as Schieffelin endured constant pressure on the post, taking up extra time on the floor.

Amid a poor shooting afternoon, turnovers also added to the laundry list of issues Clemson faced.

The Tigers reached double-digit turnovers before halftime, with McNeese cashing in on 15 points in the process.

Will Wade emphasized the struggle it could be for his Cowboys inside the paint, noting Viktor Lakhin and Schieffelin’s size as a mismatch for McNeese.

It was a mismatch, just not in the way Wade envisioned.

The Cowboys punished Clemson on the boards, outrebounding the Tigers as the lead grew. Not only did McNeese secure 13 second-chance points, they doubled Clemson’s totals in the paint, dominating the box score in the blowout victory.

Ian Schieffelin credited McNeese's effort on the glass, adding the Cowboys just wanted it more.

"Yeah, they're a very physical team," Schieffelin said. "If you didn't box them out, they were going to make you pay. Sometimes they wanted the ball more and sometimes, the ball bounced the other way. Sometimes, it bounces your way. They were more physical and just wanted the ball more."

Bad turned into worse for Clemson, with McNeese leading by as much as 24 in the second half, making any hope of a comeback impossible to surmount. Clemson scored just 13 points in the first half, a season-low and one of the worst in NCAA Tournament history.

Clemson’s top duo, Chase Hunter and Schieffelin went scoreless in the first half as the offense couldn’t find an answer.

Hunter put together a strong second half, becoming Clemson’s top option behind Jaeden Zackery, with the backcourt duo combining for 37 points in the loss.

A very late flurry of 3-point makes cut the deficit late, but those comeback efforts weren’t enough to shift the game's balance.

The Tiger offense finished the day shooting 35 percent from the field, knocking down eight of their 28 shots from beyond the arc.

It is the third straight game where Clemson has shot under 33 percent from deep, ending the season on a poor shooting note.

Clemson’s season will end in Providence, finishing the year 27-7 (18-2 ACC). Reportedly the next NC State head coach, the Clemson alum Wade and McNeese take on Purdue Saturday.

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