Clemson quickly broke out of a funk on on Saturday, using a late blitz to take a double-digit halftime lead and cruise to a 82-68 win over Boston College. It was the Tigers’ second consecutive victory at home to close out the regular season, as they wrapped up scheduled competition on Senior Day at 16-14 overall and 6-12 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Two seniors led the way for the Tigers, as Jaron Blossomgame and Avry Holmes each had 17 points in the game. Holmes added ten rebounds for his first career double-double, and Blossomgame snagged seven boards. Shelton Mitchell scored 14 points for Clemson, while senior Sidy Djitte (9) and Donte Grantham (8) also made meaningful contributions in the scoring column.
The Tigers were sluggish and sloppy throughout most of the first half, as the Eagles turned live-ball turnovers into fast break buckets. The lead changed hands several times early, and the game was tied at 20 with under seven minutes to play in the first half.
“Credit the Boston College kids,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “I thought they were really competitive and very ready to play, and I thought we were a little casual.”
That was when Jaron Blossomgame began to take over his Senior Day. After missing his first two shot attempts, the Clemson senior made his last five field goals of the period to finish with 10 points. Blossomgame was aided by Avry Holmes, who led the team with 12 points on four three-pointers in the first half, including a pull-up from deep to end the half.
“I just wanted to let them go,” Holmes said moments after he and his fellow seniors addressed the crowd. “It was my last opportunity in Littlejohn, and I just felt really good.”
“That’s where the separation occurred,” Brownell said of Holmes’ perimeter barrage. “He obviously has the ability to do that.”
Those two—along with Marcquise Reed—paced the Tigers to a 22-6 spurt that closed the half. That included an 11-0 stretch that spanned the final 2:19 before halftime. Holmes hit all but one of his first-half threes during that run.
Clemson kept it going after the halftime break, extending the lead to as many as 21 midway through the second half. The Tigers shot 55 percent for the game against the Eagles and outrebounded Boston College by nine. They made up for a 12-0 deficit in fastbreak points by making 16 of 21 free throws, while Boston College only attempted six.
Jordan Chatman led the Eagles with 17 points. Ky Bowman and A.J. Turner each added ten points, while leading scorer Jerome Robinson—who fouled out late in the contest—added nine.
The Tigers will begin play at the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn on Tuesday as the 12th-seeded team in the field. They will play at noon against 13th-seed N.C. State.
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