CLEMSON -- The 2022-2023 season began on a high note for Clemson Monday night, as the Tigers handled The Citadel 80-69 in Littlejohn Coliseum. It marked the 37th win in the last 38 season openers for the Tigers dating back to the 1985-86 season. The win also ran head coach Brad Brownell's mark to 12-1 in season-openers.
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
The Tigers are looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after a disappointing 17-16 (8-12, 10th ACC) record last season. Brownell's 13th team was picked to finish 11th in the Atlantic Coast Conference by members of the media earlier this fall.
Veteran guard Chase Hunter led the Tigers with 23 points in the win, tying a career-high. Hunter entered halftime with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 in three-pointers. The Tigers were of course without preseason all-conference pick P.J. Hall who continues to recover after undergoing knee surgery in late July.
Non-football-related & off topics forum
Brady Spence's layup put the Bulldogs on the board first just under a minute into regulation. Hunter responded with two baskets before Madison Durr's layup at the 2:24 mark.
Durr gave The Citadel its largest lead of the game after a free throw with 8:01 remaining before the half, which put the Bulldogs up 26-22. From there the Tigers went on a 23-5 run to head into intermission up 45-31 after a long-range conversion from Hunter.
A Hunter Tyson free throw conversion widened Clemson's lead to 49-31 just under two minutes into the second half. Tyson would close the contest with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Austin Ash, who was The Citadel's leading scorer with 19 points, drilled a three-point jumper with 14:32 remaining to cut Clemson's lead to seven at 55-48. The Bulldogs would convert 11 of 25 three-point baskets (45.8%).
Stephen Clark's three-pointer with 4:20 left would cut the Tigers' lead to 70-64. The Bulldogs would come no closer the rest of the way.
With 1:17 left, Ian Schieffelin capped Clemson's scoring with a dunk, his ninth basket of the night en route to a career-high 20 points and team-high 14 rebounds, also a career-high.
Brevin Galloway added 11 points for the Tigers.
Monday night's game also represented Clemson fans' first look at highly-regarded freshman forward R.J. Godfrey out of Suwanee, Ga. Godfrey added a rebound and two assists in limited action.
The Tigers shot 46.2-percent from the field (31.8% from 3) and converted 13-of-18 (72.2%) free throws, while the Bulldogs were 24-of-56 (42.9%) from the floor and 10-of-12 (83.3%) from the foul line.
Brownell is now 5-0 versus The Citadel.
Clemson heads to Columbia to face rival South Carolina on Friday in a 7 p.m. ET tip. The game will be televised by SECN+.
Big DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
