Needing a win to clinch a double bye in the ACC Tournament, Clemson came up short in an 81-76 loss to Wake Forest Saturday at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem.
Hunter Sallis led all scorers with 22 points for Wake Forest, which received a boost to its NCAA Tournament hopes with a solid victory over a Quad 1 opponent.
The Demon Deacons (19-12 overall, 11-9 ACC) made 12 of their last 13 shots to overcome a five-point deficit earlier in the second half.
“We had chances… we just weren’t quite tough enough to finish the win,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said afterwards. “Give (Wake Forest) credit. Their shot-making was elite.”
Clemson (21-10 overall, 11-9 conference) got 18 points from PJ Hall but turned in an otherwise disappointing finish in the team’s regular season finale.
The Tigers got off to a sluggish start and trailed at halftime, 34-28. Wake Forest pushed its lead to eight early in the second half before Clemson used a 21-8 run to take a five-point lead at 49-44 around the 12-minute mark of the half.
Things slowly slipped away after that. Parker Friedrichsen and Efton Reid made clutch 3-pointers on back to back trips down the floor to open up a 56-52 Wake Forest led with 9:20 to play.
When Andrew Carr and Kevin Miller added their own 3-point baskets, the ‘Deacs’ had extended their lead to nine at 70-61.
Chase Hunter hit a step-back 3-pointer with 15 seconds left that cut the lead to three at 77-74, but Wake Forest closed the game 4-for-4 from the foul line to lock up a much-needed victory headed into the conference tournament.
Hunter had 17 points for Clemson, Joe Girard added 14 points, and Jack Clark had 10.
Carr had 17 for Wake Forest.
The Tigers could still get a double bye if NC State beats Pitt Saturday night. A Pitt win would give the Panthers the ACC’s No. 4 seed and the double bye. In that scenario, Clemson would have to play a Wednesday game in the tournament, which begins Tuesday at Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena.