CLEMSON -- After a two-week layoff, Clemson was hoping to stay hot on the court but those plans were derailed by Virginia Tuesday night in Littlejohn Coliseum with the Cavaliers walking away with a 75-65 win.
The Tigers (9-5, 1-2) had been seeking their fifth win in a row and second in a row from UVA (9-5, 3-1).
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Clemson had previously beaten UVA 67-50 in Charlottesville three days before Christmas. It marked the first time the Tigers had edged the Cavaliers since 2013 and the first win in Charlottesville since 2008.
Hunter Tyson led all Clemson scorers Tuesday with 15 points. Tyson also posted a game-high nine rebounds.
Clemson drew first blood on its first possession of the evening with a David Collins layup.
The two teams traded baskets for much of the first half and were tied at 20 with ten minutes remaining before intermission. The Cavaliers went on a 10-3 run before the Tigers closed ground and retook the lead with 1:39 remaining on an Al-Amir Dawes three-pointer. Dawes added eight points.
Clemson carried a 37-36 advantage at halftime, but Virginia controlled much of the second half, outscoring the Tigers 39-28.
The two teams stayed within four points of one another until a second Kadin Shedrick free throw conversion with just under five minutes remaining. The Tigers would come no closer the rest of the way.
Clemson scored just one point in a four-minute span while UVA pushed its lead to 69-60. The Tigers would cut the Cavaliers' advantage to six at 71-65 with just under a minute remaining on a three-pointer by Nick Honor, but that would be the final scoring of the night for the home team.
Honor was one of four Clemson players to reach double figures in scoring, adding 11 points. He was joined by Tyson, Collins (14 points) and P.J. Hall (13).
UVA's Jayden Gardner had a game-high 23 points.
The Cavaliers shot 54.3-percent from the floor and converted 21 of 24 free throws (87.5%), but were just 4-of-14 (28.6%) from long range.
The Tigers hit 9-of-20 (45%) three-pointers and shot just 46% overall.
Clemson will return to the court on Saturday (Jan. 8) to face N.C. State in Raleigh in a game set to tip off at 12:00 p.m.
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