Jack Clark missed an open 3-point attempt at the buzzer, and Clemson suffered its latest setback in ACC play Saturday with a heartbreaking 66-65 loss to Virginia at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Clemson (14-7 overall, 4-6 ACC) trailed by as many as 12 points in the second period after yet another uninspiring first half start saw them trailing 34-26 at halftime.
The Tigers fought their way back to claim the lead at 57-56 after back PJ Hall drained a 3-pointer that got the crowd on its feet with 5:38 to play. Little did they know it would be the Tigers’ last field goal of the day; Clemson’s final eight points would all be scored on foul shots.
Virginia (17-5, 8-3 ACC) picked up a 3-pointer from Isaac McNeely with 2:11 to play to put the Cavaliers ahead by five at 63-58.
Clemson kept hanging around, and when Dante Harris missed the front end of a 1-and-1 foul shot with just seven seconds to play, Clark made a rebound and lined up what would have been a game-winning shot.
“Jack was wide open. He just missed it,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said afterwards. “We missed a lot of shots.”
Again.
After Tuesday’s win over Louisville, Brownell was asked about his team’s recent shooting woes, particularly in home games. He said that he didn’t have an explanation and cautioned that it wasn’t something to “make a mountain out of a molehill” over.
The molehill keeps growing.
All told, Saturday’s contest was another anemic performance from the floor for Clemson, which made only 35 percent of its shots in the game.
“We had a bunch of wide open 3’s that we’re just not making. That’s really hurting us in league play,” Brownell said Saturday.
Jacob Groves had 17 points — including 3 of 4 from 3-point range in the first half — to lead Virginia in scoring. Reece Beekman finished with 14.
Hall led Clemson with 19 points.
UP NEXT: the Tigers will face No. 3 North Carolina Tuesday in Chapel Hill. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The game will be televised by ESPN.