Clemson basketball gets rocked by Duke in ACC Tournament semi-final

Clemson’s stay in Charlotte ended Friday night after top-seeded Duke pulled away for a 73-61 win in the ACC Tournament semifinals at Spectrum Center.

The Tigers never fully recovered from a rough stretch late in the first half, when their offense completely stalled and allowed the Blue Devils to take control. After several tight finishes earlier in the week, Clemson found itself playing from far behind most of the night.

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RJ Godfrey led Clemson with 18 points and six rebounds, finishing 6-of-10 from the field. Jestin Porter added 12 points while Ace Buckner chipped in 11 in his second postseason start, though Buckner struggled from the field, hitting just 2-of-10 shots and 1-of-4 from three-point range.

Clemson had difficulty finding any consistency offensively. The Tigers shot only 35 percent during the first half and went just 2-of-13 from beyond the arc. The shooting struggles became especially costly down the stretch before halftime.

With the score still close midway through the opening half, Clemson was within striking distance. But the Tigers went nearly eight minutes without a field goal to close the period, missing their final 10 shots. Duke took advantage, ripping off a 22-3 run that turned a competitive game into a 41-22 halftime lead.

The Boozer brothers played a major role in that surge. Cameron Boozer dominated inside and at the free throw line, finishing with 24 points and 14 rebounds. His ability to control the paint gave Clemson problems all night.

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The Tigers tried to climb back into the game during the second half. A dunk by Godfrey trimmed the deficit to 18 early in the half, and a three-pointer from Porter later helped cut the margin to 15. Buckner followed with a pair of free throws that brought Clemson within 12.

Each time Clemson made a push, Duke had an answer.

After the Tigers again pulled within a dozen points, the Blue Devils responded with a corner three from Dame Sarr following a loose ball rebound, pushing the lead back to…

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Publish date : 2026-03-14 03:55:00

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