Clemson didn’t have its starting frontcourt, but the Tigers had Al-Amir Dawes, Chase Hunter and Nick Honor.
On Wednesday, it was enough to help Clemson end its skid with its best win of the season.
The Tigers’ trio of guards picked a good time to have one of their best all-around performances of the ACC slate, combined for 53 points in Clemson’s 80-69 win over Wake Forest on Wednesday at Littlejohn Coliseum. Playing without leading scorer PJ Hall, the Tigers (13-15, 5-12 ACC) snapped their six-game losing streak, their longest in five years.
Hunter poured in a career-high 21 points, including some clutch baskets late with the Demon Deacons (21-8, 11-7) cutting into a 12-point deficit. Hunter, who scored 13 of his points after halftime, ended an 8-0 run by Wake Forest with a 3-pointer and then answered the Demon Deacons’ ensuing 3 with a layup to push Clemson’s lead back to eight points with 3:12 remaining.
Wake Forest, which got a team-high 17 points from Damari Monsanto, got as close as three after a pair of free throws from Jake Laravia with 1:27 left. But Dawes, who finished with 19 points off the bench, had the answer this time, driving in for a layup to push the Tigers’ lead back to two possessions.
Dawes, Hunter and fellow guard David Collins combined to go 8 for 8 from the free-throw line in the final 47 seconds to salt away a win over the Demon Deacons, who came into the night at No. 40 in the NET rankings.
Honor finished with 13 points while freshman forward Ian Schieffelin added 10 before fouling out late.
This story will be updated.