GREENVILLE, S.C. — Dillon Hunter made two free throws with 3.9 seconds to play, as Clemson held on for a 68-65 victory over Cincinnati at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Hunter scored 10 points and was 5-for-6 from the foul line, including 4-for-4 in the last seven seconds.
“I was built for it,” Hunter said. “Me and my brother (Chase Hunter) always have this saying, ‘Built for it.’ I was talking to myself that I am going to make these and we are going to win the game. It ended up working out.”
Day Day Thomas’ Hail Mary at the horn for Cincinnati drew the back of the rim to end the game.
Clemson opened Sunday’s game against Cincinnati by scoring the first 14 points and led by as many as 27 points in the first 17 minutes of the game. But the Bearcats chipped away at the lead and nearly came back.
It drew flashbacks to Clemson’s loss to BYU on Dec. 9 when it blew a 22-point second half lead.
“I think some of that is basketball now. You guys have to understand that,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “Turn on the TV and you will see that a lot more than you think.”
Carter Welling and Ace Buckner with 12 points. Jestin Porter added 11 points and Godfrey had 10 points to lead the Tigers.
Clemson (10-3) got off to a hot start thanks to its 14-0 run, with Porter, Welling, Wahlin and Hunter all knocking down three-point baskets early. The Tigers led 23-3 with 10:33 to go in the first half after Nick Davidson drained a 3-pointer.
The Tigers connected on 8 of 14 shots from behind the arc in the first half and led 38-18 at the break.
Clemson shots 46 percent (13-28) in the first half, while holding the Bearcats to 6 of 24 shooting (25 percent) and 3 of 13 from 3-point range (23 percent). The Tigers led by as many as 27 points in the first 20 minutes, 38-11, with 3:01 to go in the half.
However, after the Tigers took their 27-point lead, Cincinnati closed the last 3:01 of the first and then opened the first five minutes of the second half on a 22-4 run, to cut the Clemson lead to nine points, 42-33.
Cincinnati cut the Clemson lead to seven points several times down the stretch, Buckner first made a turnaround jumper and later found R.J. Godfrey under the basket to keep the Bearcats at bay.
Not Keeping the Glass Clean
Cincinnati killed the Tigers on the offensive glass. The Bearcats had a 10-2 advantage on the glass.
The Bearcats, however, got five points from Moustapha Thiam to pull within four points with 2:22 to play. He first got an old-fashion 3-point play and then a fadeaway jumper.
However, Godfrey got the ball down on the block and made two crucial baskets to keep the Tigers in front, including a big three-point play with 1:02 to play for a 62-58 lead.
Thiam got the ball in the post and drew a foul and one to complete another three-point play with 40 seconds to play, cutting the Clemson lead to 62-61.
Turnover Machine
Cincinnati (7-5) turned the basketball over eight times in the first half, which led to 11 Clemson points. The Tigers, who had just two first half turnovers, had an 11-2 advantage over the Bearcats in points off turnovers.
Clemson, who had just two turnovers in the first half, had xx in the second
Injuries
Butta Johnson, who injured his groin on Tuesday’s win over South Carolina, returned to action on Sunday. He played 8 minutes and had two rebounds. Brownell said he did not play much in the second half because he just was not comfortable, so they held him out until the end of the game in case they needed him to shoot free throws.
Of course, the Tigers were without freshman guard Zac Foster, who tore his ACL early in the South Carolina game. He is out for the season.
Up Next
Clemson will get the next nine days off before returning to action at Syracuse on New Year’s Eve. It will tip off at 2 p.m., and will open the ACC season for the Tigers.