Clemson improved to 3-0 in ACC play thanks to an 85-71 victory over Stanford Wednesday afternoon at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson.

The win marks the second straight year the Tigers started an ACC season with a 3-0 record. Clemson started the 2023-’24 season 7-0 in conference play.

Clemson was led by Chase Hunter’s 22 points on 7 of 15 shooting, while Chauncey Wiggins added 17 points and Jaeden Zackery tallied 16 points. Wiggins was 6 of 11 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range.

The Tigers (11-3, 3-0 ACC) used a 10-0 run eight minutes into the second half to take a 62-52 lead with 11:46 to go. They never trailed after that, as they ran away with the game in the second half.

Stanford tied the game with 14:37 to play on a Oziyah Sellers three-pointer, but Zackery, Hunter and forward Ian Schieffelin all got into the act during the 10-0 run.

Sellers led the Cardinal with 20 points.

SLOW START

After having 10 days off since beating Wake Forest on Dec. 21, the Tigers trailed most of the first half. Stanford led by as many as eight points, 25-17, with 10:45 to play in the first half.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

The Cardinal (9-4, 1-1 ACC) came out shooting well, and for much of the first half was shooting over or at 50 percent. That allowed them to build their early lead.

Leading 43-41 at the break, Clemson turned up the defensive intensity in the second half. The Tigers extended their defense with Zackery and Hunter pressing the ball. Dillon Hunter also got into the act and had five steals.

Zackery added three steals and Hunter had one. Clemson had 14 steals overall.

Stanford scored 30 points in the second half. It was 12-for-28 from the field, including 2 of 12 shooting from behind the arc in the second stanza.

The Cardinal was 15 of 33 from the field in the opening half, including 4 of 12 from downtown.

IT WAS OVER WHEN

With the Tigers up 11 points following a 10-0 run, Zackery pushed the ball up the court following a Cardinal miss and found Wiggins trailing on the play. Wiggins calmly drained a three-pointer from the right wing to extend Clemson’s lead to 14 points, 71-57, with 9:48 to play.

Clemson led by as many as 16 points, 85-69, with 1:52 to play in the game.

UP NEXT

Clemson will play California at home this Saturday. Tip is set for 8:30 p.m.