CLEMSON — The Clemson Tigers fell 90-93 to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Tuesday in a three-hour, double-overtime game at Littlejohn Coliseum.
The Tigers led by nine points with less than 1:43 remaining in the regulation period, but Georgia Tech’s sharpshooting in the final minutes secured a win after five consecutive close losses.
Following the game, head coach Brad Brownell and leading scorer PJ Hall met with the media, reflecting on the loss and discussing next steps for the Tigers.
Clemson (12-5, 2-4 ACC) consistently struggled to find their rhythm from beyond the arc, making just 3 of 21 shots to Georgia Tech’s 15 of 35. Brownell shared how this skewed ratio was a deciding factor in the outcome.
“We’re three for twenty from three, and they’re fifteen for thirty-five. The difference of 36 points is a lot to overcome,” he said. “We just got to hang in here. We got off to a great start this year. We’ve stumbled here a little bit, but there’s still room to get it figured out.”
Hall recorded a career-high in both scoring and rebounding in the loss, adding his second consecutive double-double with 31 points and 17 rebounds. Following the game, Hall emphasized the tenacity his team needs to finish close games.
“These are the games that you got to find a way to win,” he said. “We’ve won them in the past. We’re going to win more in the future. It just hurts to let one like this get out of your grasp.”
As Clemson looks to string together upcoming ACC wins, both Hall and Brownell are convinced the Tigers need to remain confident in their identity as a “good team.”
“We want to win so bad, myself included. Our coaches, our staff, our managers… everybody’s pouring everything they have into it,” Hall said. “It’s not just winning this next game obviously, that’s what we want, but we’re focused on ourselves and getting better every single day.”
The Tigers have another chance to pick up an ACC win Saturday when Clemson ventures to Tallahassee, Fla., to take on Florida State.
The Tigers and Seminoles will tip off at 4 p.m.