Clemson men’s basketball leaned on a breakout performance from Ace Buckner to hold off South Carolina on Tuesday night, picking up a 68-61 rivalry win inside Littlejohn Coliseum.
Buckner delivered the best game of his career, scoring 19 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting night while adding five rebounds. The sophomore gave Clemson a steady presence offensively as the Tigers improved to 9-3 on the season and won for the third time in the past five meetings against the Gamecocks.
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Carter Welling added 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting and was a key factor in the second half, while Dillon Hunter chipped in six points, six assists and three rebounds as Clemson controlled the flow for long stretches.
The Tigers weathered an early South Carolina surge before flipping momentum midway through the first half. Clemson rattled off a 15-0 run to grab its first lead and carried a 34-27 advantage into the locker room. Despite South Carolina hanging around early in the second half, Buckner sparked separation with a layup and a three that pushed the margin into double figures.
Clemson’s defense made life difficult all night, particularly on the perimeter. South Carolina finished just 4-of-23 from three-point range, missing several open looks that could have changed the tone of the game.
Free throws were the biggest reason the margin stayed tight. Clemson went 19-of-31 at the line, with Welling accounting for most of the misses despite his strong overall performance.
The Tigers were also shorthanded as Zac Foster exited early after a hard fall and did not return. Butta Johnson was limited and did not play after halftime. It was also win number 301 for Brad Brownell.
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Clemson closes non conference play Sunday against Cincinnati at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson Owns the State, Tigers Take Down Rivals South Carolina