By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

Clemson got everything it wanted. Miami’s Trey McKinney Jones missed his second free throw with 8.6 seconds to play and the Tigers had a shot to either win or tie the game as they came down the court.

Then the lane opened up for point guard Rod Hall, who dribbled through the forest for what looked like a game-tying layup, but the ball bounced off the back of the rim. No worries though, forward K.J. McDaniels and Devin Booker rallied to be in prime position for the putback, but both of them got their hands on the ball and overplayed the tip, causing what looked like a simple tip in at the buzzer to bounce off the rim, as once again third-ranked Miami survived another close game, 45-43.

“I really can’t tell you what happened, we just missed the layup. It happens,” Booker said. “Both of us got our hands on the ball, and I guess we put too much power on the ball. Both of us wanted it so bad and it went right over the rim.”

Losing heartbreakers is starting to happen too often for the Tigers (13-12, 5-8 ACC) this year. Sunday night’s loss at Littlejohn Coliseum was Clemson’s seventh single-digit loss this season, and its sixth in eight ACC defeats.

Miami (21-3, 12-0 ACC) on the other hand has found ways to win games. The Hurricanes are 9-1 in single-digit games and have won seven straight. Besides Sunday’s two-point win at Clemson, they also have a one-point win at Boston College and a one-point win at NC State in ACC play.

“It is one of those games where you grind it out, tough scoring, with both teams very well prepared, and somebody has to make a play at the end,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “They’re having one of those magical years where something’s going to happen for them to turn it their way.”

That something was Kenny Kadji’s three-pointer with 34.7 seconds to play, which at the time gave Miami a 44-43 lead. Clemson whittled the clock down to 13 seconds as Hall drove the lane and drew contact from Miami’s McKinney Jones. But official Karl Hess called Hall with a charge instead, and Clemson was forced to foul on the next inbounds.

But again, the Tigers had their chance to tie or the win game, but like most of the night, they failed to make a layup or get the tip in.

Suffering a second straight heartbreaking loss, Booker admitted these tough losses are starting to take its toll, especially in the final moments when someone needs to step and make a play. There are times when they begin to question themselves somewhat.

“Some of it is mental and some of it is physical,” Booker said. “I really don’t know (what it is). There is so much going through my head right now.”

Free throws and missed layups were the Tigers’ Achilles heel, again. Clemson had at least a half dozen layups go in and out of the basket, while Booker, Hall and McDaniels missed several shots at the rim. The Tigers were 5-13 from the foul line and missed the front end of three one-and-ones late; including one by McDaniels with 1:12 to play that could have extended the Clemson lead to five or six points at the time.

“The free throws at the end were the killer,” Brownell said. “We also had half dozen shots that were halfway down and rolled out for whatever the reason.”

The lone bright spot was again freshman Jordan Roper, who for the second straight week set a new career mark for scoring. The guard dropped in 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting, including 3 of 4 from behind the arc.

Roper scored 13 points in the second half including a jump shot from the right corner that gave Clemson a 38-35 lead with 5:58 to play, and then a driving layup with 1:59 to go that made the score, 42-28. He also made a catch-and-shoot three-pointer with the shot clock winding down on another possession earlier in the half.

“Roper made some tough shots, especially some tough guarded shots,” Brownell said. “He played with a lot of confidence on offense. He played at very high level tonight and it was certainly very much needed.”

But Miami found a way to overcome the freshman’s talents, and once again, Clemson found itself losing another game by single digits.

“We just try to find a way to win,” Roper said. “That’s what Coach says. Win this game. Try to find a way to win. Tonight we did not do it.”