Where Clemson basketball must improve to defeat Duke, Cooper Flagg after Georgia Tech loss

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CLEMSON — Clemson basketball received a reality check Tuesday night.

The No. 21 Tigers were upset by Georgia Tech, losing 89-86 in three overtimes at Littlejohn Coliseum. It was the first ACC men’s basketball game to reach three overtimes since February 2020, according to the ACC Network.

The trap-game loss snapped Clemson’s six-game win streak and denied it its best start in conference play in program history. It also brought the Tigers (18-5, 10-2 ACC) back to earth, showcasing their flaws before their biggest game of the season against No. 2 Duke (19-2, 11-0) on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPN).

“We didn’t play well enough to win, and I’ve talked about how defensive rebounding has been a problem for us a little bit at times in the year,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “Ultimately, I’ve told the guys that it’s going to cost us a game, and it cost us a game.”

Georgia Tech (11-12, 5-7) outrebounded Clemson 56-46, including eight more offensive rebounds. Three Yellow Jacket players recorded double-digit rebounds that helped Georgia Tech score 29 second-chance points, 16 more than Clemson.

A key reason for the disparity was center Viktor Lakhin’s foul trouble. He had one foul in the first half but received four more to foul out in the second half. It was his second time fouling out this season, and his absence helped Georgia Tech dominate the boards and have favorable matchups in the paint.

“Usually, they play with two bigs,” Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire said. “(Ian) Schieffelin wasn’t, to me, as effective because now you’re trying to wrestle with two guys, instead of having another guy to help him wrestle on the inside.”

Schieffelin recorded three rebounds on Tuesday, the second fewest in a game this season.

HOW THE GAME WENT: Clemson basketball vs Georgia Tech score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

Clemson also shot poorly, a season-low 36.4%. Chase Hunter was 9-for-24, and Chauncey Wiggins shot 5-for-16.

“It’s really the first time all year you could…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/where-clemson-basketball-must-improve-125055042.html

Author : Greenville News

Publish date : 2025-02-05 12:50:00

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