CLEMSON -- Clemson kicked off the new year with a bang, taking down Stanford 85-71 in their first ACC matchup of 2025. Just like a fresh start at midnight, the Tigers (11-3, 3-0) flipped a switch in the second half, turning a narrow 43-41 halftime lead into a convincing win.
Jaeden Zackery was the heart of Clemson’s second-half surge. He hounded Stanford’s (9-4, 1-1) guards, snagging four steals while flying around on defense.
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Zackery added 16 points despite going 0-for-5 from three, shooting 6-for-13 overall and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. He also dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds in 37 high-energy minutes.
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Dillon Hunter was his partner in crime as he racked up a career-high six steals, adding six points on perfect shooting and hitting 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Hunter also chipped in two rebounds and an assist in just 19 minutes.
Clemson broke the game open with a 10-0 run midway through the second half, stretching its lead to double digits. From there, the Tigers never looked back, slowly extending their lead while shutting down any hope of a Stanford comeback.
Myles Foster played a big role off the bench during that run. He found the gaps in Stanford’s 2-3 zone for some easy buckets, finishing with six points on 2-for-2 shooting in just six minutes of action.
Stanford threw everything it had at Clemson defensively, even trying a 1-3-1 zone for a possession. But Chauncey Wiggins made them pay, hitting one of his four threes to force the Cardinal back into their 2-3 setup.
Wiggins had a season-high 17 points, going 4-for-5 from deep, with a couple of his shots coming from way beyond the arc. He also added five rebounds and a block in one of his best games of the season.
Chase Hunter led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 7-for-15 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. He added two assists and four rebounds to round out a strong night.
Viktor Lakhin battled through illness to dominate the paint, swatting a season-high five shots, grabbing seven rebounds, and adding 11 points on an efficient 4-for-6 shooting night.
The Tigers also did work at the free throw line, going 12-for-13 in the second half and finishing 21-for-24 overall. Stanford, in comparison, shot just 11-for-12.
Clemson’s defense frustrated Stanford all night, particularly ACC leading scorer Maxime Raynaud. He was held to 14 points and went 0-for-6 from three. When he did get the ball inside, he was effective, but Clemson’s ball pressure kept Stanford’s guards from feeding him consistently.
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Stanford’s foul trouble didn’t help its cause either. Three Cardinal players had four fouls with over nine minutes to play, making it even tougher for their already thin lineup to keep up.
Ian Schieffelin dealt with foul trouble of his own, leading to a quiet night by his standards. He finished with four points and four rebounds in 25 minutes.
Clemson shot 48% (28-for-58) from the field and 42% (8-for-19) from three, outpacing Stanford’s 44% (27-for-61) mark overall and 29% (6-for-21) from deep. Stanford couldn’t buy a bucket from long range, making just two threes in the final 30 minutes.
This marked the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Clemson continues ACC play on Saturday, January 4, against another West Coast newcomer, the California Golden Bears. Tipoff is set for 8:30 PM on ESPN2 in Littlejohn Coliseum.
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