After dropping its first game of 2022 to Virginia on Tuesday, Clemson bounced back Saturday for its 10th win of the season, edging N.C. State 70-65 in Raleigh. It marked the Tigers' second straight win over the Wolfpack.
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Clemson (10-5, 2-2) was led by sophomore big man P.J. Hall, who posted 20 points and five rebounds on 10-of-16 shooting. Hall entered Saturday's game third among sophomores in the Atlantic Coast Conference in PER (Player Efficiency Rating).
N.C. State (8-8) dropped to 1-4 in conference play, which places the Pack 12th in league standings.
The Tigers got off to a slow start Saturday, as N.C. State opened with three straight three-point jumpers.
Clemson got on the board with 16:42 remaining in the first half on a Hall layup, trailing 9-2 early.
A dunk by Hall with 7:59 remaining before intermission pulled Clemson to within one. The Tigers would capture their first lead of the game nearly a minute later following a basket by David Collins. Collins turned in just five points on a 2-of-6 shooting effort but hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds.
Clemson did not relinquish its lead for the remainder of the half and in fact opened an eight-point advantage with 4:47 remaining following a Naz Bohannon free throw conversion. N.C. State would then go on a 10-4 run, led by two Thomas Allen baskets. Allen scored 10 points.
After holding a 30-28 edge at the half, the Tigers quickly fell behind after a Dereon Seabron three-pointer. The Pack went on to hold a narrow 33-32 lead shortly thereafter but the Tigers would recapture an advantage before the two teams were tied for a final time with 9:09 remaining.
Clemson's largest lead (62-53) of the game came with 3:31 remaining following a Chase Hunter jumper. Hunter was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor and added seven points on the afternoon.
The Pack narrowed the Tigers' advantage to 68-65 with one second to go on a Casey Morsell three-point conversion, but two Nick Honor shots at the foul line would be the final scoring of the contest, sealing a 70-65 Clemson victory.
The Pack shot just 31.7-percent from the floor, converting 9-of-28 three-pointers (32.1%). State was 18-of-23 (78.3%) from the foul line. State was led by Seabron's game-high 27 points.
The Tigers shot 49.1% from the floor, converting 3-of-10 shots from long range and closing with an 11-13 clip from the foul line, good for 84.6%. Al-Amir Dawes joined Hall in double-figures for the Tigers, scoring 16 points.
The win lifted Brad Brownell's all-time record to 10-10 versus N.C. State.
N.C. State will travel to Louisville next Wednesday, January 12, to face the Cardinals in a 9:00 p.m. tip.
The Tigers will remain on the road for game No. 16, this time to square off against Notre Dame in South Bend next Wednesday. The game is set for a 7:00 p.m. tip.
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