How Clemson basketball adjusted to NCAA tournament-style schedule in stopping UNC

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CLEMSON — Clemson basketball would be advancing to the Sweet 16 or the Final Four on Monday if it was in the NCAA tournament.

The No. 19 Tigers (20-5, 12-2 ACC) endured a March Madness-esque 48 hours, playing two opponents in a three-day stretch. They dominated North Carolina (14-11, 7-6) on Monday, winning 85-65 at Littlejohn Coliseum. On Saturday, they upset then-No. 2 Duke 77-71, also at Littlejohn.

This is Clemson’s third straight 20-win season, and the first time it has beaten UNC and Duke in the same season since 2019-20. Although these games were in the comfort of Clemson’s home arena, the Tigers overcame two historic ACC powerhouses and adjusted to both teams’ playing style in a short amount of time.

“Tonight, we’ve made a bunch of 3’s, and that’s why we have a chance to have a good team (because) we can beat you in different ways,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “Happy the way our guys adjusted. Two different types of teams: Duke, bigger; North Carolina, great speed.”

Clemson avoided shooting 3-pointers against Duke, attempting a season-low 10 because of the Blue Devils’ length and closeout ability. Instead, it attacked inside, scoring 40 points.

The Tigers flipped the script against North Carolina, shooting 12-for-25 from 3-point range. The Tar Heels had no answer for Clemson center Viktor Lakhin in the first half, when he scored 20 points, shooting 8-for-11, including 4-for-4 from 3-point range.

“He didn’t feel us defensively at all,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “He was in a really comfortable rhythm in the first half.”

Lakhin stayed out of foul trouble and was a force on defense, recording five blocks and one steal. In the second half, Clemson guard Chase Hunter took over, scoring 14 points while shooting 5-for-9, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range to finish with 19 points.

Clemson came off an emotional win against Duke to rise in the national polls, but it remained focused on handling North Carolina, a team that had a 7-2 record against the Tigers on the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clemson-basketball-adjusted-ncaa-tournament-055747814.html

Author : Greenville News

Publish date : 2025-02-11 05:57:00

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