Clemson almost throws away a win, takes down Cincinnati on the road

Clemson nearly relived a familiar nightmare on Sunday afternoon, but this time the Tigers found a way to finish.

Behind clutch free throws from Dillon Hunter in the closing seconds, Clemson survived a furious rally to escape with a 68–65 win over Cincinnati at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, closing nonconference play with a third straight victory.

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Hunter delivered when things were tight, knocking down two free throws with 3.9 seconds left and finishing a perfect 4-for-4 at the line in the final seven seconds. His 10 points included five made free throws on six attempts, none bigger than the ones that sealed it. Cincinnati had a last look at the horn, but Day Day Thomas’ desperation heave rattled off the back of the rim.

The game looked over early. Clemson stormed out of the gate with a 14–0 run and stretched the lead to 23–3 less than 10 minutes in. The Tigers led by as many as 27 points in the first half and carried a 38–18 advantage into the break after shooting eight of 14 from three-point range.

Then everything flipped.

Cincinnati closed the first half with a small run and exploded out of the locker room, outscoring Clemson 22–4 over an eight-minute stretch to cut the lead to single digits. The Bearcats continued to hang around, trimming the margin to as little as two late after winning the battle on the offensive glass and piling up second-chance points.

Carter Welling and Ace Buckner scored 12 points apiece, while Jestin Porter added 11 and R.J. Godfrey chipped in 10. Godfrey was critical down the stretch, scoring twice on the block and completing a three-point play with just over a minute left to keep Clemson in front.

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Cincinnati won the second half 47–30, but Clemson’s composure at the line proved just enough to avoid another collapse.

The Tigers move to 10–3 and will open ACC play on New Year’s Eve at Syracuse after nine days off.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/clemson-almost-throws-away-win-224910154.html

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Publish date : 2025-12-21 22:49:00

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