After Clemson took more than a 20-point lead into halftime, BYU would storm back as the No. 10 Cougars took down the Tigers 67-64 on a buzzer-beater in the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

With the game tied at 64-64 with 1.4 seconds left, BYU had one final attempt to win it in regulation. Robert White III took full advantage, drilling a three-pointer as time expired to sink the Tigers.

Brad Brownell’s team shot just 26% from the floor over the final 20 minutes of play, as BYU controlled the entire second half on both ends of the floor. Part of the struggles can be credited to the Cougars’ defense, but Clemson also had its share of open looks that it just couldn’t connect on as BYU outscored the Tigers 45-21 in the second half of play.

It is the largest second-half deficit BYU has overcome in program history.

Clemson (7-3) now falls to 1-2 in Quad 1 games this season.

The Tigers went on a 21-0 run to close out the first half, highlighted by multiple baskets by Butta Johnson and Jestin Porter, that gave Clemson a 43-22 lead heading into the break. BYU went almost seven minutes during that stretch without a bucket. Porter hit on 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in that first half.

The Cougars would then go on a 12-1 run of their own to start the second half, quickly pulling to within 44-34, as the Tigers missed their first eight field goals coming out of halftime. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, BYU had pulled to within single digits at 47-38.

With just over eight minutes remaining in the game, Clemson had scored just four second-half points, while clinging to a 47-41 lead. A Porter basket would end the drought, but BYU went right back down the court, hitting an old-fashioned three-point play, making it 50-45.

BYU had pulled to within a point with just over five minutes left, and then the Cougars would take their first lead, 55-54, since it was 17-15 with just over three to go.

The Tigers battled back and tied it up at 64-64 with just 5.5 seconds left on a short jumper by Dillon Hunter, who had five points in the final minute of regulation to help Clemson tie it up.

Porter led the way for Clemson, scoring 17 points with four rebounds and four assists. 14 of those points came in the opening half. Porter finished the night 5-of-9 from three-point land.

RJ Godfrey had another strong night, adding 13 points with five rebounds, while Carter Welling scored nine, on just 2-of-9 shooting.

Up Next

Clemson returns home to host Mercer on Saturday at 3 p.m. on ACCNX.

Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images