Clemson blows 23-point lead in 70-68 loss to Boston College
Clemson dropped its second straight game Saturday night, this one in bitter fashion.
The Tigers (10-7, 2-4) blew a 23-point lead to Boston College (7-8, 2-3) at home in a 70-68 loss. The Eagles began to claw back the large deficit in the first half and continued their momentum into the second half.
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Clemson had won nine in a row from the Eagles going into Saturday night's matchup.
The Tigers wasted no time jumping on the Eagles early, surging to a 9-0 lead on the shooting of Al-Amir Dawes, who racked up 17 points in the first half. Dawes, who was just 2-for-11 from the floor earlier in the week at Notre Dame, did not score in the second half Saturday night.
With just over four minutes expired, Boston College got on the board after a Brevin Galloway jumper. A Jaeden Zackery layup at the 13:43 mark would pull the Eagles to within six before the Tigers would go on a 9-0 run.
Following a second free throw conversion by P.J. Hall with 7:11 remaining before the half, the Tigers opened their biggest lead of the game at 34-11.
From there, the Eagles would go on an impressive 21-5 run to close the half down just 39-32. Galloway's 11 points led BC's late first-half rally.
Clemson would widen its lead at the outset of the second half, moving out to a nine-point advantage (43-34), following a Hall jumper. It would be the Tigers' largest edge the rest of the way.
The Eagles, who outscored the Tigers 38-29 in the second half, would come to within one point at 51-50 with 11 minutes remaining after a James Karnik layup. With 1:48 to go, BC would draw even with the Tigers for the first time at 66-66 following a T.J. Bickerstaff basket.
Clemson briefly retook the lead with 35 seconds remaining on a David Collins jumper, but would score no more as BC reeled off four unanswered points to seal a 70-68 victory.
BC shot 49.1-percent from the floor and hit 6-of-19 baskets (31.6%) from long range while the Tigers shot 45.8%, converting 31.6% from three-point range.
The Eagles had three players reach double figures in scoring, led by Makai Ashton-Langford's 19 points. The Tigers were led by Dawes' 17 points while Hall (12 points) and Collins (15) also reached double figures in scoring. Clemson's Naz Bohannon added nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Boston College will enjoy a few days off before facing Louisville on the road next Wednesday for a 7:00 p.m. tip.
The Tigers will square off at Syracuse on Tuesday (9:00 p.m. tip) in a game televised by the ACC Network. The Orange (8-9, 2-4) lost to Florida State 76-71 in the Carrier Dome earlier Saturday.
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