Fresh off winning the Sunshine Slam Championship in Daytona Beach on Tuesday, Clemson was back at it Friday night to close out the week on a high note by disposing of Florida A&M 86-58 in Littlejohn Coliseum. It was the schools’ fourth meeting all-time; the Tigers hold a 4-0 lead in the series.
The Tigers (7-1) got off to a slow start in a game that saw six lead changes in the first half with the Rattlers (1-5) leading 30-29 as late as four minutes remaining before intermission.
Chase Hunter, Viktor Lakhin, Chauncey Wiggins and Jeaden Zackery each reached double figures in scoring.
Clemson jumped out to a 7-2 lead before the contest would tighten up with FAMU taking its first lead of the game on a Ja’Derryus Eatmon dunk just under eight minutes in.
With 6:40 remaining before the break, the Rattlers would break open a 28-23 advantage, their largest lead of the game, following a Milton Matthews three-pointer. Matthews led the Rattlers with 14 points.
Roderick Coffee’s layup with just over four minutes to go would give FAMU a 30-29 edge. It would be the Rattlers’ last lead of the game.
Clemson responded after two Wiggins free throw conversions to go up 31-30. Wiggins would finish the evening with 15 points on 3-of-4 shooting and a perfect 6-for-6 at the foul line.
The Tigers held a 38-32 advantage at the break.
Wiggins’ three-pointer would kick off all scoring in the second half, which was lopsided in Clemson’s favor amid an opening 27-7 run.
FAMU would keep it within single digits until Zackery’s layup with 16:35 remaining. From there, the Tigers would hold a double-digit advantage the rest of the way.
Zackery would end the night with 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Hunter led all scorers with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Lakhin finished with 12 points and five rebounds.
Ian Schieffelin, who was MVP of this week’s Sunshine Slam, scored five points but posted a game-high 15 rebounds.
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The Tigers shot 50-percent from the floor, also connecting on 9-of-25 (36-percent) from long range and finishing 17-of-20 (85%) from the foul line.
FAMU, whose only win of the season to this point was against Trinity Baptist a week ago, was 23-of-55 (41.8%) from the floor, but an impressive 11-of-26 (42.3%) from beyond the arc. The Rattlers went to the foul line just six times and were 1-of-6 (16.7%).
Clemson will return to action next Tuesday, December 3 to host No. 8 Kentucky (7-0) as part of the ACC - SEC Challenge. The game is set for a 9:30 p.m. ET tip and will air on ESPN.
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