The Clemson men’s basketball team was back in Littlejohn Coliseum on Wednesday night for the first time this season for an exhibition game. The Tigers dominated Benedict College with a final score of 91-45.
The Tigers were lead by graduate student Hunter Tyson, who totaled 19 points and was six-of-eight from the floor. Not far behind him was sophomore Ben Middlebrooks, who scored 12 points on a six-of-eight shooting night.
At halftime, Clemson had a comfortable lead of 47-23, and the Tigers’ defense was able to hold Benedict to 28 percent shooting and capitalize off of 10 Benedict turnovers that led to 15 points.
Clemson continued to dominate in the second half. The team’s starting five only played for the first four minutes of the second half, and head coach Brad Brownell stated that was the best four minutes of play from the whole game.
“I challenged our guys at halftime because they weren’t going to get a lot of minutes in the second half,” Brownell said. “I wanted to see them start well and really just kind of shut the door on the game, which they did.”
The Tigers shot 52 percent from the floor and held Benedict to just 22 points in the second half.
“I thought we played pretty well defensively, did a nice job of guarding the ball and defending the 3,” Brownell said.
With many new faces joining the Tigers this season, Wednesday was a small glimpse of what the season ahead has the potential to look like, as well as the future for the Tigers’ basketball program.
Many young players had their chance to see the court Wednesday including true freshman Chauncey Wiggins, who finished the game with 10 points, and the younger brother of current Tiger Chase Hunter, Dillon Hunter, who led the team with four assists on the night.
“It was awesome to get to see all those guys get a lot of opportunities tonight, all of them will help us this season, and I think they’re all ready to help us this season,” Tyson said. “You know, it’s just going to take time to get some of those game experiences, and I am glad they were able to get some of that tonight.”
Looking ahead at the Tigers’ first game of the season next Monday, Tyson and Middlebrooks are not only excited, but also feel like they have a lot to prove.
“I think we’re really excited as a team overall,” Tyson said. “We’re ready to get it rolling, baby. It’s the best time of the year.”
Middlebrooks agreed.
“Absolutely, we’re all ready, we’re amped up,” he said. “We’ve been playing against each other for a long time, practicing really hard, so we’re ready to get some new competition.”
The Tigers’ season opener against The Citadel is set for Monday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. The game will be aired ACCNX.
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