CLEMSON -- Joseph Girard's 23 points were more than enough as Clemson (4-0) surged in the second half, taking down Boise State (2-1) 85-68 Sunday in Littlejohn Coliseum.
In the Asheville Championship, the Tigers were not strangers to tight finishes, doing just enough to win.
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Sunday's blowout win told a different story.
Clemson traded baskets with Boise State early, with Chase Hunter scoring seven in the game's first four minutes.
The Broncos held a 13-12 lead with 13:42 left in the first half, a lead that slipped further away as the afternoon continued.
The Tigers led as much as nine, though unable to hold a grasp on any significant lead heading into halftime.
Both units offensively found plenty of success, with both shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
With Clemson only able to manage a 41-38 lead heading into intermission, plenty of evidence suggested the Tigers were headed for another tight finish.
Behind Girard's 17 second-half points, that evidence was quickly wiped away.
Girard overcame a slow start offensively from the first half, creating his own offense on several shots, leading to quick baskets.
His efficiency behind the arc also came through for the Tigers, with Girard connecting on three of his four three-point attempts.
Girard wasn't the only Tiger starter to come alive in the second half, as PJ Hall scored 12 points after a slow start.
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Hall went into the halftime with only two points, shooting just 1-3 overall. His aggression out the gate was evident, getting to the foul line in Clemson's first two offensive trips.
The Broncos hit a jumper to cut the Tiger lead to 13. From there, it was all Clemson.
Girard connected on back-to-back three-pointers, with a Hall dunk putting the Tigers up 18 with 7:51 left to play.
The Tigers led by as much as 22, putting an early stamp on their non-conference resume.
Sunday's win marked the program's first victory over Boise State.
Chase Hunter joined Hall and Girard in reaching double figures in scoring, adding 14 points. Chauncey Wiggins led all Tiger scorers off the bench with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. Ian Schieffelin added a game-high nine rebounds.
The Tigers will look to stay undefeated as they welcome Alcorn State on Friday at 8:00 p.m. The game will be carried on the ACC Network.
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