Clemson University bench points swing the second half as the Tigers handle the Demon Deacons at Spectrum Center

Clemson University moved to 71-62 over the Demon Deacons at 9:30 PM EDT in Charlotte, and Clemson entered the ACC second-round game with a 9-point margin at the finish.

First half

Clemson set the tone by putting up 41 first-half points while holding Wake to 23 in the opening half.

Clemson created separation with 20 points off turnovers while finishing with only 4 turnovers as a team.

Clemson’s front line helped control the lane with 40 total rebounds and 22 points in the paint.

RJ Godfrey posted 11 points and 8 rebounds in the previous game, and his interior work fit a Clemson attack that generated 15 offensive rebounds in this one.

Wake kept contact with 10 made three-pointers, and its shooting included 46 percent from beyond the arc.

Second half

Wake scored 39 points after halftime, and its biggest lead in the game was 3 during the second half push.

Clemson answered by leaning on 34 bench points and a game-wide biggest lead of 20 to steady the margin.

Clemson’s defense finished key possessions with 5 blocks and 7 steals while keeping Wake’s points off turnovers to 4.

Nick Davidson logged 8 points and 7 rebounds in the previous game, and Clemson’s rebounding edge showed up again through 23 defensive rebounds that limited Wake to 2 second-chance points.

Clemson shot 41 percent overall and 32 percent from three-point range, and it still stayed in front by getting 11 assists and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.75.

Closing stretch

Clemson closed the game with a 9-point plus-minus edge on the team sheet while Wake finished at minus-9.

The Demon Deacons totaled 12 assists and 12 turnovers, and Clemson converted those miscues into the type of cushion highlighted in this Clemson Tigers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons recap.

This Clemson Tigers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons scoreline review starts with Clemson’s early 41-23 half and lands on game-changing plays Clemson Tigers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons that came from ball pressure and bench scoring rather than late shooting, which also frames what went wrong for Clemson Tigers as a 30-point second half that left room for Wake’s rally.

Next game

Clemson is scheduled to play the North Carolina Tar Heels at 9:30 PM EDT on 2026-03-12 at Spectrum Center at 330 E. Trade Street in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Fans can watch on ESPN, and share this article with other Clemson supporters who are tracking the run.