Clemson beats No. 22 South Carolina 62-60
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COLUMBIA, S.C. — In a rivalry game that featured March Madness-style intensity, Clemson defeated No. 22 South Carolina 62-60 Wednesday night to earn its first-ever road win against a non-conference top-25 team.
Jaron Blossomgame, who averaged 10.3 points and 6 rebounds in his career vs. South Carolina coming into the game, secured a hard fought double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. PJ Dozier from South Carolina lead all scorers with 26 in the loss.
After an Avry Holmes missed free throw, Dozier raced up the court to shoot a contested 3 that bounced off the back iron. Clemson rebounded, and the clock expired on a confidence-building victory for the Tigers.
“They are as good as about anybody we will play,” Brad Brownell said. “I’m really proud of our team for just plugging away and hanging in there. This is just a really good, hard-fought road win. I am proud of our team.”
The game was about as physical as it could get all night and neither team could pull away. Clemson’s defense held South Carolina to 35 percent shooting while South Carolina’s third-ranked field-goal percentage defense held Clemson to 41 percent.
Both teams got to the free-throw line often, especially in the second half after both reached the double bonus with less than eight minutes to play. The Gamecocks shot 14-19 (74%) from the line while the Tigers shot 17-27 (63%). In the last two minutes, Clemson made six of eight from the line to reclaim the lead for good.
The story of the night was Clemson’s play from reserve transfers. The Tigers got great minutes from Elijah Thomas in only his second game in a Clemson uniform. Marcquise Reed also produced several clutch plays, combining for 26 points with Thomas as Clemson’s bench outscored South Carolina’s 29-3.
“I thought Marcquise was certainly the ‘Man of the Match’ there in the second half. I thought he played terrific,” Brownell said. “Elijah Thomas is good and has great hands around the rim. We have two good centers now. When you play a team like South Carolina, you better have that.”
Thomas, a transfer from Texas A&M, said he was right at home playing this rugged style.
“I love that. That is my type of game where I am able to bruise and use my body to get rebounds for us and get out in transition.”
Thomas also said he enjoys providing instant offense off the bench because he gets to see the flow of the game and knows exactly what he needs to bring to the floor when called upon.
Reed, whose contributions were vital with point guard Shelton Mitchell struggling, scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half. With 52 seconds remaining, he got his biggest points of the night by hitting two free throws to give Clemson the lead.
“My poise and my composure led to my playmaking,” Reed said. “I am confident in me and Avry at the free-throw line at any point in the game. We’re very good free- throw shooters.”
There were several stretches in the game where Clemson could have folded and allowed the contest to slip away, particularly with Dozier threatening to take over.
Toughness was the word Reed used to describe how his team fought all night.
“For us to come in and fight the refs, fight the crowd, have our backs against the wall and still win is an amazing feeling,” he said.
Clemson now moves to 9-2 with a seven-game winning streak, not to mention a 3-0 record against the SEC. After costly non-conference losses in recent years, Brownell hopes this will bolster the Tigers’ resume for NCAA Tournament consideration come March.
“They are going to have a great year and win a bunch of games. To win a game like this on the road is extremely difficult and obviously very rewarding.”
This is Clemson’s first victory against a top-25 Gamecock team since the 1997-98 season.
Thomas hasn’t been around the rivalry long, but it didn’t take him long to learn.
“We wanted to own this state,” he said.
Clemson returns to action at home on Dec. 28 against UNC-Wilmington at 7 P.M.
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