Clemson keeps it close but falls to No. 9 Duke. What we learned about Tigers
Clemson gave Duke all it had, which made the Tigers close to pulling off the upset on Tuesday night.
The ninth-ranked Blue Devils, however, used a late 6-0 run to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish for the 71-69 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Clemson’s David Collins scored with one second left on the clock, forcing both teams to call a timeout. The Tigers pressed, but the Blue Devils were able to successfully inbound the ball, causing Clemson’s upset bid to fall short.
Keeping it close
In the first half, Clemson and Duke traded leads 14 times with the two teams tying four times. The Tigers opened the game with the first lead on a midrange jumper from Hunter Tyson, and the Blue Devils responded with a 6-0 run.
The largest lead for either team was five points after a 3-pointer from Alex Hemenway for the 31-26 advantage late in the first half.
Sharpshooting success
The Tigers had some scoring droughts, but when they did get up shots, they were good ones. The group shot 50% from 3-point range, which was needed against a much taller Duke squad. After the Blue Devils took their largest lead of the night, 60-53 with 9:25 to go in regulation, Tyson drained a 3-pointer, which was followed by Hunter’s bucket in transition. Nick Honor followed kept the scoring going with a trey to give the Tigers their first lead since the first half.
Chase Hunter’s impact
After earning a starting spot against Pitt, Chase Hunter got his second start of the season against the Blue Devils. He provided a spark for Clemson and scored 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting on the night. After Duke had taken a 63-61 lead, Hunter tied the game back up with a quick shot.
Clemson men’s basketball’s next game
Who: Clemson vs. Florida State
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2
Where: Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson
Watch: ACC Network
