Clemson’s leading scorer came through with the tying bucket in the final 30 seconds against North Carolina on Tuesday night. Averaging more than a block per game, PJ Hall is also the Tigers’ best rim protector.
But Clemson’s sophomore big wasn’t on the floor for the Tar Heels’ final possession, which ended with UNC handing the Tigers their latest gut punch.
Hall finished with 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting, including a basket that tied the game at 77 with 21.3 seconds left. But when UNC coach Hubert Davis took a timeout to draw up a play for the Tar Heels’ final possession, Clemson coach Brad Brownell made a couple of substitutions, including Naz Bohannon for Hall, who also had four blocks up to that point but also four fouls.
Brownell said he figured UNC would try to set a ball screen for point guard Caleb Love against Clemson’s man defense, which hadn’t gone so well for Hall when the Tar Heels ran the same action earlier in the game.
“We felt like they were going to go up and ball screen with PJ’s man, then just attack him, take it to him and get to the rim,” Brownell said. “It happened a little bit early on a play or two when he kind of got beat off the dribble and they take it right into him for a foul. We were going to switch anything and keep guys in the front.”
Sure enough, UNC brought up its big, Brady Manek, to act like he was going to set a screen, but Manek popped out at the last second. That left guard Chase Hunter on Love, who got past Hunter and took off down the lane toward the basket.
As Clemson’s defense collapsed on him, Love dished to the cutting Manek, whom Hall likely would’ve been guarding, for the go-ahead layup with just 3.1 seconds left. David Collins’ 3-point shot at the buzzer came up short.
Brownell didn’t second-guess his strategy afterward, but he ultimately took responsibility for the easy look UNC got at the basket that sent Clemson to its sixth loss in eight games. Four of those losses have come by a combined 11 points.
“I think we were fine if one of our guys just plugged the hole and stayed (in the paint) instead of kind of worrying about his man too much. That was the mistake,” Brownell said. “I told the guys, ‘Hey, no layups. If they make a jump shot to beat us, they beat us with a jump shot.’ We didn’t get that done. So that’s on me.”
Things don’t get any easier for Clemson on Thursday when No. 7 Duke visits Littlejohn Coliseum for a rematch of the Blue Devils’ 71-69 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium two weeks ago.
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