Tigers can't withstand the Hurricanes in home loss

Galloway looks for an open shot in the first half (Photo by Merrell Mann).

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Sat Feb 04 17:13:11 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON – In a game that was close in almost every statistical category, Miami won the rebounding battle and the game.

The No. 21 Hurricanes out-rebounded No. 19 Clemson 38-28, including a whopping 9-2 on the offensive glass, and escaped Littlejohn Coliseum Saturday afternoon with a 78-74 victory. No. 20 Clemson, in losing its second game in a row, falls to 18-6 overall and 10-3 in the ACC while Miami improves to 18-5 overall and 9-5 in league play.

Clemson still maintains a half-game lead in the ACC standings after Virginia lost to Virginia Tech Saturday in Blacksburg.

Hunter Tyson collected another double-double for the Tigers with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The overall series is now tied at 16 apiece.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team gaining much of an advantage.

After missing the last two games due to injury, Brevin Galloway started off hot scoring seven of the Tigers first ten points to give Clemson an early 10-4 lead at the 16:31 mark of the first. Clemson clung to the lead over the next three-plus minutes as Miami chipped away before tying the game at 14-14 on a pair of Wooga Poplar free throws.

The Tigers and Canes traded baskets with neither team leading by more than three points over the next seven minutes. Wiggins hit a three with 7:04 to play in the first half to tie the game at 24-24, but Clemson would go nearly three minutes without a basket allowing Miami to open up a five point lead at 30-25.

Tyson hit a three to end the drought and cut the Canes’ lead to 30-28 with 4:40 to play before intermission and start a 10-2 Clemson run that gave the Tigers a 35-31 advantage with 2:43 to go.

Pack and Beverly scored the final two field goals of the first half for Miami to tie the game at 35-35.

Miami came out firing in the second half making four of its first five three-point attempts and completing and old fashioned three-point play. Clemson’s only offense during the first five minutes of the second half came from PJ Hall, who scored all seven of the Tigers points. The Canes opened up its largest lead of the game at 52-42 at the 14:29 mark of the second half.

The Canes went on an 11-2 run during a five minute period as Clemson scored only one basket – a jumper by Chase Hunter – allowing Miami to open up a 56-44 lead with 11:10 to play.

Galloway hit a three in front the Clemson bench and Hall hit back-to-back jumpers to end the scoring drought and cut Miami’s lead to 59-51 with 8:39 to play.

Omier hit a layup to extend Miami’s lead back to ten at 61-51 with 7:39 to play, but Clemson answered with a run of it’s own to cut the Canes’ lead to just three. Alex Hemenway hit a three – his first basket of the game – followed by a pair of Hall free throws and dunk by Ben Middlebrooks to make it 61-58 with just over six minutes remaining.

Miami went on a 7-2 run over the next two minutes to open its lead back to eight points at 68-60 with 3:54 to play.

Galloway hit a pair of free throws and Hall a layup to cut Miami’s lead to three, but once again, the Canes hit a big shot to make it a five-point advantage at 70-65 with 2:31.

Hall hit another layup to cut the lead back to down to three and Miami called a timeout with 1:26 to play. Miami’s Omier got a much needed offensive rebound and made one-of-two at the line to make it a 71-67 Canes’ lead with a minute remaining.

Galloway finished with 15 points and Hall scored 19 for the Tigers.

The Tigers now get a much-needed week off and will tip it off back on the road next Saturday, taking on North Carolina at the Smith Center. Tip is set for 2 pm.