Ace Steals Show as Tigers Get Past American
By: Will Vandervort November 6, 2026

CLEMSON – Led by Ace Buckner’s career-high 26 points, Clemson beat American 82-73 Friday at Littlejohn Coliseum.

In all, four Tigers scored in double digits. Madden Collins led the Eagles with 23 points on 10 of 20 shooting.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • After the Eagles cut the Clemson lead to six points, the Tigers answered with a 6-0 run to grab a 69-57 lead with 7:10 to go.  A couple of Cole Certa free throw, a Chase Thompson layup and a Dallas Thomas jumper extended the lead.
  • Not only was Buckner’s 26 points a career, but so were his 9 field goals, as well as his 5 made three-pointers. It was the second most efficient night of his college career. He finished the night 9 of 14 from the field and 5 of 8 from behind the arc. He also was 3-for-5 from the foul line. He shot 64 percent from the field overall, the highest of his career of eight or more shots.
  • Buckner became the first Clemson guard since the 2004-05 season to open a season with back-to-back 20-point games.
  • Buckner played a team-high 35 minutes on Friday night. It was due to freshman guard Harris Reynolds missing the game due to a lower body injury.
  • Liutauras Lelevicius finished with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a 5-for-7 night from three. He also had 10 rebounds for his first double-double in a Clemson uniform.  
  • Clemson’s Dylan Faulkner scored 12 points, had six rebounds, two assists, block and two steals. Guard Cole Certa also added 10 points.
  • American was 13 for 28 from three-point range. Clemson finished the game 12 of 27 from deep.
  • The Tigers made 4 of their last five shots to end the first half to take a 39-35 lead into the locker room.
  • Clemson connected on 4 of 9 shots from deep in the opening half, while the Eagles were 7 of 14 from three.
  • South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was in Littlejohn to support her godson Madden Collins play for the Eagles. Collins, a guard, led American with xx points. Staley was seen wearing an American sweatshirt and a ballcap at the game.

UP NEXT

Clemson continues its homestand to open the season on Monday when it hosts North Dakota at 7 p.m.