Clemson returns to ACC play with dominant win over Wake Forest

Clemson takes down Wake Forest.

Chase Hunter scored 16 points, five of his teammates finished in double figures, and the Clemson Tigers defeated Wake Forest, 73-62, Saturday at Littlejohn Coliseum to snap a two-game losing streak in their return to ACC play.

For a Clemson (10-3 overall, 2-0 ACC) team that was coming off back-to-back overtime losses to Memphis and South Carolina, it was a nice way to close out the unofficial first half of the season as the Tigers head into their Christmas break.

The Tigers controlled Saturday’s game virtually from the start. They doubled up Wake Forest (9-4) at 30-15 in the first half thanks to a 10-0 run that included 3-pointers from Hunter and Air Force transfer Jake Heidbreder. Clemson led 40-31 at halftime.

Clemson would lead by as many as 20 in the second half after Ian Schieffelin put the Tigers up 71-51 with just over five minutes remaining. Schieffelin and Viktor Lakhin both scored 13 points and Jaeden Zackery added 12 to go with Hunter’s 16.

Hunter was 5-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-7 from downtown.

Heidbreder was his own star, scoring 15 points off the bench and making three of his four three-point shots.

Clemson schedule 2024-25

Clemson will face Stanford at 3 p.m. ET at Littlejohn Coliseum on New Year’s Day. The game will be televised on ACC Network.

How far did Clemson fall in new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after OT loss to Memphis?

Clemson fell several spots in this week’s coaches poll.

The Clemson Tigers’ overtime loss to the Memphis Tigers was enough to drop Brad Brownell’s team out of the Week 7 USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, released Monday.

Clemson (9-2) fell 10 spots from No. 16 to land one spot outside of the poll. The Tigers garnered the most votes (87) for Top 25 consideration.  Memphis (8-2) moved into the rankings at No. 22 following their 87-82 win at Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday.

Clemson faces the South Carolina Gamecocks (7-3) in Columbia Tuesday. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on SEC Network. After that, the Tigers return to ACC play on Saturday when they host Wake Forest at 2 p.m. ET at Littlejohn (ESPN).

RELATED: Clemson star Chase Hunter on the loss to Memphis, takes blame for bad final stretch

Tennessee (10-0 overall) remained No. 1 after a thrilling buzzer-beater win at Illinois over the weekend. Auburn (9-1) stayed at No. 2 for the third straight week, followed by Iowa State (9-1) at No. 3. The Kentucky Wildcats (10-1) moved up to No. 4 with Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils (8-2) at No. 5.

Duke was the only ACC team ranked in this week’s Top 25.

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Clemson star Chase Hunter on the loss to Memphis, takes blame for bad final stretch

Hunter on Clemson’s loss to Memphis.

With just over a minute left on Saturday, it looked like No. 16 Clemson was poised to secure another gritty win.

The Tigers had clawed their way back from behind for most of the game, and Chase Hunter’s clutch three-pointer with 1:04 to play put them ahead by five. But Memphis responded with big-time plays to force overtime, and Clemson couldn’t capitalize on key moments, falling 87-82 at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Hunter had a chance to seal the game in regulation with the score tied at 72. Dribbling near center court, he waited too long to make his move, leaving just four seconds to attack the basket. Forced into a deep three-pointer as time expired, the shot fell short.

“I should have driven to the rim and tried to draw a foul or get a better look,” Hunter admitted. “That was on me.”

In overtime, Hunter had another opportunity with Clemson trailing 85-82. He opted for a quick three-pointer rather than attacking the rim for a layup to extend the game. It didn’t fall, and Clemson’s hopes were dashed.

Hunter finished with 17 points but acknowledged costly mistakes in the game’s closing minutes, including a turnover after his late three-pointer. “I celebrated too much and lost focus,” he said. “I have to be better as a senior leader.”

The Tigers (9-2) now turn their attention to a rivalry showdown at South Carolina on Tuesday (7 p.m., SECN)

Instant recap: Clemson basketball falls in overtime to Memphis

Clemson falls to Memphis in overtime to snap a six-game winning streak.

The Clemson Tigers‘ fell 87-82 to the Memphis Tigers Saturday at Littlejohn Coliseum, snapping a six-game winning streak.

Early on, the Tigers’ “basketball for brunch” felt more like a hangover. Clemson (9-2 overall) fell behind 10-0 to start the game and went almost the first six minutes without a basket.

By contrast, Memphis got a blistering start from Colby Rogers, who opened 5-for-5 and gave his Tigers a 27-20 lead with 5:30 to play in the first half after scoring eight straight points.

Clemson took its first lead with 1:50 to go in the half on a 3-pointer from Ian Schieffelin for a 29-28 lead. A big turning point occurred just before halftime. With 6.3 seconds left on the clock, Jaeden Zackery tried to inbound the ball but his pass from the baseline was picked off by Tyrese Hunter, who raced up the floor and drained an open 3-pointer for a 33-32 Memphis lead at intermission.

Memphis (8-2) started the second half on a 7-0 run capped by another trey from Hunter that forced Brad Brownell to take a full timeout as Memphis went ahead 40-32.

Penny Hardaway’s Tigers led 59-51 near the under-8 timeout after a 3-pointer from Nicholas Jourdain as part of a 14-8 run.

Clemson made its own run afterwards, an 11-0 spurt that included a pair of Chase Hunter jump shots, a 3-pointer from Dillon Hunter, and two layups from Viktor Lakhin.

Clemson took its biggest lead when Schieffelin made a layup with 2:22 to play to go up 69-63. But Memphis refused to go away and after Jourdain made a steal, Tyrese Hunter found Dain Dainja for a game-tying layup with 20 seconds left in the second half.

That sent the game into overtime at 72-72 after Chase Hunter missed a 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

Two big 3-pointers by Tyrese Hunter gave Memphis an 83-81 lead with 58 seconds to play in overtime. Dainja sank two foul shots with 15.3 seconds left to put Memphis up 85-82.

Chase Hunter missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it with 10 seconds left to send Memphis to the free-throw line to ice the game.

Memphis’ Hunter had 23 points, followed by Rogers with 22. Lakhin led Clemson with 23 points, and Schieffelin and Chase Hunter both added 17 points apiece.

Memphis shot 52 percent from the field (31-of-60) while Clemson made 45 percent of its shots (30-of-67). Brownell’s Tigers were 10-of-31 (32 percent) from behind the arc; Memphis was 12-of-25 (48 percent).

Clemson basketball schedule 2024-25

Clemson will head to Columbia for their annual matchup with South Carolina (6-3) on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on SEC Network.

Clemson star Ian Schieffelin named ACC Player of the Week

Clemson star forward Ian Schieffelin has been named ACC Player of the Week.

CHARLOTTE – Ian Schieffelin (Atlanta, Ga./Grayson) was named ACC Player of the Week, appointed by voting media on Monday and announced by the league office. It marks Schieffelin’s first Player of the Week honor in his career.

Schieffelin averaged 13.0 points, 16.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in wins over No. 4 Kentucky and at Miami (Fla.).

In both games Schieffelin secured his fourth and fifth double-doubles of the season, including 11 points, 20 rebounds and four assists in the win over No. 4 Kentucky. He added 15 points and 12 rebounds in a win at Miami (Fla.).

The 20 rebounds against Kentucky were the most in a game by a Tiger since Harold Jamison on March 4, 1999. Jamison had 20 rebounds in an overtime loss to Florida State. Schieffelin became the only player in the last 25 years to net 10+ points, 20+ rebounds and four or more assists in a win over an AP Top 5 opponent.

Overall, only five players, including Schieffelin, have totaled 20 rebounds in a win over an AP Top 5 opponent since 1996-97 (Paul Harris, Syracuse; Cole Aldrich, Kansas; DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh; Nick Collison, Kansas).

Following up his performance against the Wildcats, Schieffelin added 15 points and 12 rebounds in a win at Miami (Fla.) to start league play. Schieffelin netted a career-high-tying three 3-pointers in the game.

He is first nationally in rebounds per game (12.5) and total rebounds (125). He’s third in defensive rebounds per game (8.4) and eighth in offensive rebounds per game (4.10). He leads the ACC in all categories. He’s second in the ACC in double-doubles (5) and sixth nationally.

Schieffelin is just the fifth player in Clemson history to amass 700 points, 600 rebounds and 200 assists in a career (Trevor Booker, K.C. Rivers, Horace Grant and Vincent Hamilton).

Via Clemson Athletic Communications 

Clemson basketball storms into new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after statement wins

Clemson makes a BIG jump into the Top 25 of the Coaches Poll after wins over Kentucky and Miami.

For the first time all season, coach Brad Brownell’s Clemson Tigers have surged into the Top 25 of the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, released Monday.

Clemson (9-1 overall) rose 29 spots to land at No. 16 in the Coaches Poll following their 70-66 win over Mark Pope and Kentucky Wildcats last Tuesday at Littlejohn Coliseum in the ACC-SEC Challenge. The Tigers then opened conference play on Saturday by beating the Miami Hurricanes, 65-55, in Coral Gables.

Against Kentucky, Ian Schieffelin had 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as the Tigers took down the fourth-ranked Wildcats to mark their latest win over a college basketball blue blood.

Clemson defeated North Carolina last season, marking only the second time in school history the Tigers had won in Chapel Hill. They beat the Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament to reach the Elite 8 for just the second time.

The Tigers ranked one spot behind the Ole Miss Rebels at No. 15 and one spot ahead of the Oklahoma Sooners at No. 17 in Monday’s Coaches Poll.

Clemson will host the Memphis Tigers (7-2) in another big nonconference matchup this Saturday at Littlejohn. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET. The game can be seen on ESPN2.

Rick Barnes’ Tennessee Volunteers (8-0) moved to No. 1 in the poll following their 96-70 blowout win over the Syracuse Orange. The previously top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (7-2) suffered their first losses of the season, in back to back games to the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha and the Missouri Tigers in Columbia.

Elsewhere in the top five, the Auburn Tigers (8-1) stayed at No. 2 for the second straight week, followed by the Iowa State Cyclones (7-1) at No. 3 and Marquette Golden Eagles (9-1) at No. 4. Kentucky (8-1) rounded out the top five at No. 5.

Clemson was one of only two ACC teams ranked in the Coaches Poll. Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils (7-2) were the highest-ranked conference team at No. 6. The ACC went 2-14 against the SEC in the ACC-SEC Challenge, with Clemson and the Louisville Cardinals the only ACC teams to win last week’s games.

Full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Rank Team Record Points
1 Tennessee 8-0 745 (25)
2 Auburn 8-1 709 (5)
3 Iowa State 7-1 673
4 Marquette 9-1 633
5 Kentucky 8-1 630
6 Duke 7-2 613
7 Florida 9-0 530
8 Alabama 7-2 525
9 Gonzaga 7-2 462
10 Kansas 7-2 449
11 Purdue 8-2 424
12 Oregon 9-1 377
13 Houston 5-3 304
14 Michigan 8-1 258
15 Ole Miss 8-1 249
16 Clemson 9-1 237
17 Oklahoma 9-0 233
18 Texas A&M 8-2 194
19 Michigan State 8-2 166
20 UConn 7-3 152
21 UCLA 8-1 137
22 Wisconsin 8-2 129
23 Cincinnati 7-1 124
24 San Diego State 6-2 105
25 Baylor 5-3 99

Schools Dropped Out

No. 15 Memphis; No. 17 Illinois; No. 19 Pittsburgh; No. 22 North Carolina;

Others Receiving Votes

Mississippi State 93; Illinois 67; St. John’s 51; Pittsburgh 50; Arizona State 44; Memphis 37; Maryland 36; Drake 35; Utah State 32; Saint Mary’s 28; Penn State 26; Creighton 20; Georgia 18; Missouri 14; West Virginia 11; Arkansas 10; UC Irvine 5; Texas 5; Dayton 4; Texas Tech 2; North Carolina 2; Loyola Chicago 2; LSU 1;

Clemson avoids letdown after Kentucky win, beats Miami to open ACC play

Clemson takes down Miami to open conference play.

They didn’t have their best game, but the Clemson Tigers avoided a letdown after their thrilling 70-66 win over Kentucky basketball earlier in the week in the SEC-ACC Challenge.

Led by another double-double from senior Ian Schieffelin (13 points, 12 rebounds) and a game-high 18 points from senior Chase Hunter, Clemson overcame a slow start to defeat the Miami Hurricanes, 65-55, Saturday afternoon in the ACC opener for both teams at Watsco Center in Coral Gables.

The Tigers improved to 9-1 overall and have a good chance of being ranked in the new Top 25 polls Monday.

Schieffelin had his fifth double-double of the season and second this week. Against Miami, he made Clemson’s first points of the afternoon with a 3-point basket after the Tigers and Hurricanes (3-6) both began the game scoreless for the first three and a half minutes.

A few minutes later, Schieffelin sank another basket from behind the arc to stake the Tigers to a 9-1 lead and force Miami (3-6) to use a timeout. Clemson would go up by 11 before the Hurricanes used a 19-6 run to take their first lead of the game.

Schieffelin made his third 3-pointer of the half with a little over three minutes to play until halftime, and Hunter made a steal and a layup to boost Clemson to a 25-24 lead at intermission.

Behind Hunter and Cincinnati Bearcats transfer Viktor Lahkin, the Tigers eventually pulled away in the second half. Lahkin hit two big 3-pointers on consecutive trips down the floor with around seven minutes to play to put Clemson ahead for good at 47-43.

The Tigers added a clutch 3-point basket from Dillon Hunter and a tip-in from Schieffelin to go up by five, 56-51, with 2:38 to play. Clemson put the game out of reach at the foul line, making eight of its last nine shots from the charity stripe.

Lahkin finished with 12 points, all of them coming in the second half. Twelve of Hunter’s 18 points came in the second half. He shot 7-of-19 from the field and was just 1-of-7 from downtown.

The Tigers shot 40 percent and got off 27 threes, connecting on nine. Clemson’s first 12 points in the game came from behind the arc.

Jalil Bethea, a consensus five-star prospect out of Pennsylvania who chose Miami over Alabama, Villanova, Syracuse and others, led the Canes with 12 points.

Clemson schedule 2024

Clemson will take on Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers (7-1) a week from Saturday at Littlejohn Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

Our best photos of Clemson taking down Kentucky basketball

Our best photos from Clemson’s thrilling 70-66 takedown of the fourth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Clemson is getting pretty good at beating some of the blue blood programs and top-five college basketball teams.

Brad Brownell’s Tigers (8-1 overall) did it again on Tuesday night inside a raucous Littlejohn Coliseum in front of a national television audience on ESPN. Behind a career-high 20 rebounds from senior Ian Schieffelin, who added 11 points to go with 12 points from Chauncey Wiggins, the Tigers took down the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats, 70-66, in the SEC-ACC Challenge.

Kentucky (7-1) suffered its first loss of the season under first-year coach Mark Pope. The Wildcats were held to a season-low in points after averaging 96.7 entering the night. Kentucky had gone over the 100-point plateau in four of its first seven games.

It was the Tigers’ fourth straight win over a top-five opponent in the AP Top 25 poll as an unranked team. According to OptaSTATS, it’s a feat that no other program has accomplished since the AP poll expanded to 25 teams in the 1989-90 season.

Clemson led Kentucky, 37-30, at intermission before pulling ahead by as many as eight with 4:20 to play after a three throw from Boston College Eagles transfer Jaeden Zackery. Senior Chase Hunter iced the game with two free throws with one second remaining.

Hunter (10 points) was one of four Clemson players to finish in double figures, joining Schieffelin, Wiggins and Zackery, who had a team-high 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field.

Afterwards, fans stormed the court to celebrate the Tigers’ latest takedown of a top-ranked team. A season ago, Clemson entered the NCAA Tournament unranked and reeled off three wins — against New Mexico, the Baylor Bears and Arizona Wildcats — to reach the Elite Eight for only the second time in program history.

The Tigers entered this week unranked in both the AP Top 25 poll and USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll but received 25 votes for consideration in the AP poll.

Here are some of the best photos of the Tigers’ thrilling takedown of Kentucky on an unforgettable night at Littlejohn.

Clemson basketball stuns No. 4 Kentucky in the ACC-SEC Challenge

Clemson stuns Kentucky.

During the ACC-SEC Challenge, Clemson pulled off a 70-66 win over No. 4 Kentucky on Tuesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum. It was the Tigers’ highest-ranked non-conference home win in program history and extended Brad Brownell’s streak to four consecutive victories over AP Top 5 teams.

Ian Schieffelin anchored the Tigers with 11 points, 20 rebounds, and four assists, marking the first 20-rebound performance by a Clemson player since 1999. Chauncey Wiggins added 12 points, including two three-pointers, while Jaeden Zackery scored 11, contributing key first-half threes and a critical three-point play late in the game.

Clemson ended the first half on a 14-2 run to take a 37-30 lead into the break. Kentucky battled back in the second half, briefly taking the lead before Wiggins’ timely three-pointer swung momentum back to the Tigers. With the game on the line, Chase Hunter sealed the win by sinking four free throws in the final seconds.

The Tigers now shift focus to their ACC opener at Miami on Saturday. Tipoff is set for noon, with the game airing on ESPN2.

Clemson men’s basketball signs three new Tigers for 2025-26

Three new Tigers join the program.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Head Coach Brad Brownell and his staff added Zac Foster (Atlanta, Ga./Woodward Academy), Chase Thompson (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) and Trent Steinour (Mooresville, N.C./Lake Norman) to the Clemson University men’s basketball program. All three signed to play for the Tigers beginning in 2025-26.

The Clemson recruiting class ranks 22nd nationally, according to 247Sports. Foster jumps into fourth in the 247Sports’ top five rated Clemson recruits of all time.

“I want to congratulate my staff who did a great job signing this class,” said Brownell, “We are excited about adding talented players who are a tremendous fit with the Clemson culture. Zac, Chase and Trent are three good students who come from great families and will blend well with our team.”

Foster is a 6-4, 180-pound four-star guard who ranks as the No. 70 overall prospect in the 2025 class. He is the No. 11 combo guard in the class, according to 247Sports. As a junior, Foster averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He was named All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State in Georgia.

His brother, Marcus, is a senior guard at Xavier, and his mother, Sheri, is in the Hall of Fame for women’s basketball at Loyola Marymount University.

“Zac Foster is a talented combo guard with excellent size, speed and skill for the position. He has grown up in the game, coming from a basketball centric family. Our staff has been following Zac for quite some time and impressed by his versatility, talent and feel for the game. He excelled in the summer league circuit, and we feel he has a bright future playing multiple positions at Clemson.”

Foster chose Clemson over Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Georgia and West Virginia.

Thompson is a 6-8, 215-pound four-star forward and ranks as the No. 94 player in the country, according to Rivals. He ranks No. 1 overall in the state of Minnesota according to PrepHoops. Thompson is a dual-sport athlete and stars in basketball and football as a quarterback.

Thompson averaged 19.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game as a junior. He led Alexandria Area to a final four appearance in the MSHSL state tournament last March. His older brother, Treyton, plays basketball at Stetson University.

“Chase Thompson is a multi-sport athlete who has excelled as a leader in both sports. This weekend he’s quarterbacking his football team in the state championship. On the court, his versatility and skill level should allow him to play effectively all over the floor. I am impressed by his competitive nature and winning pedigree and look forward to working with him as soon he gets on campus.”

Thompson chose Clemson over Iowa and West Virginia.

Steinour is a 6-10, 215-pound forward/center who ranks as a three-star, according to 247Sports. Steinour is the grandson of former Clemson big man Randy Mahaffey who played for the Tigers from 1964-67.

As a junior, Steinour averaged 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game and helped lead Lake Norman to the Elite Eight of the NCHSAA state tournament.

“Trent Steinour is the latest addition to Clemson from the legendary Mahaffey family. He’s long, athletic and runs the floor extremely well. A tireless worker, Trent has worked hard to develop his perimeter game throughout high school, and we think he will fit very well into our hi/low motion offense.”

Steinour chose Clemson over Georgia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and South Carolina.

– Via Clemson Athletic Communications