Clemson Tigers Narrowly Outscored by Wake Forest in High-Octane Clash
In a closely contested matchup, the Clemson Tigers fell short against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons with a final score of 76-81. The Tigers' season record now stands at an even split, while the Demon Deacons edged ahead with their performance. The game unfolded at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in front of an audience of 12,288 spectators.
The Clemson Tigers showcased a robust offensive effort throughout the game. They managed to convert 57 percent of their two-point attempts and maintained a free throw accuracy that was nearly impeccable at 94 percent. Their three-point shots found the net with 35 percent efficiency, contributing to their overall field goal percentage of 46.
Despite not recording any blocks and facing one player foul out, the Tigers were tenacious on defense, accumulating nine steals over the course of play. They also demonstrated teamwork with eleven assists but had room for improvement in ball handling as evidenced by their ten turnovers.
The second half saw an intensified effort from Clemson as they racked up an impressive 48 points compared to their first-half tally of 28 points. Their ability to score from fast breaks and capitalize on turnovers was evident with six fast break points and eleven points off turnovers respectively.
On the rebounding front, Clemson secured a total of twenty-three rebounds—twenty personal and three team rebounds—with five being on the offensive glass which led to ten second-chance points. However, this was slightly overshadowed by Wake Forest's total rebound count which stood at twenty-five.
The Demon Deacons proved formidable opponents; they boasted higher shooting percentages across all categories including a notable sixty-nine percent from two-point range and fifty-eight percent overall field goal percentage. Their three-point shooting was also superior at forty-three percent accuracy.
Wake Forest's ball distribution resulted in fifteen assists leading to better assist turnover ratio than that of Clemson (1.36 compared to 1.1). Additionally, they capitalized more effectively on turnovers scoring fifteen points off them despite committing thirteen turnovers themselves.
As both teams displayed equal prowess in fast break situations each earning six fast break points it was ultimately Wake Forest's slight edge in execution that determined the outcome.