Clemson’s first ACC loss of the season came down to missed opportunities—and a glaring disparity at the free-throw line.
Louisville (11-5, 4-1) shot 16-for-20 from the stripe, while the Tigers (12-4, 4-1 ACC) managed just five attempts, hitting 4-of-5. That advantage, combined with turnovers and cold shooting, helped the Cardinals hand Clemson a 74-64 defeat on Wednesday night at the KFC Yum! Center.
BECOME A TIGERILLUSTRATED.com SUBSCRIBER!
Battling illness throughout the roster and playing its third game in seven days, Clemson struggled to keep pace.
The Cardinals' guards were relentless, and the entire roster played with physicality, forcing Clemson into 13 turnovers that led to 19 Louisville points.
Louisville’s J’Vonne Hadley was the difference-maker, torching Clemson for 32 points and 10 rebounds. He shot an efficient 10-of-12 from the field, 3-for-3 from deep, and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line.
Hadley carried the Cardinals offensively, as no other Louisville player broke double figures until the final minutes of the game.
The Tigers still had their chances. They pulled within two points with 10:15 remaining, but a 9-0 Louisville run stretched the lead to 11.
Even when the Cardinals hit a scoring drought—going nearly three minutes without a field goal late in the game—Clemson couldn’t capitalize, managing just one basket in that stretch.
Chase Hunter led Clemson with 15 points on an efficient 6-for-10 shooting, adding five rebounds, three assists, and a steal over a team-high 36 minutes. But, he couldn’t find his rhythm late, scoring just two points in the final 15 minutes when the Tigers needed him most.
Ian Schieffelin also had troubles in the second half, going scoreless for over 14 minutes. Despite the struggles, he still managed to record his seventh double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The game began slipping away late in the first half. After leading by as many as six early, Clemson allowed a 14-1 Louisville run to close the half, heading into the break down 42-35.
The Tigers missed six of their final eight shots of the half and shot a frosty 25-percent from beyond the arc—cold enough to match the 25-degree chill outside.
Jaeden Zackery worked to keep the Tigers in the game defensively, recording four steals, but it wasn’t enough. He finished with 12 points, five rebounds, and those four steals.
Jake Heidbreder added 10 points in a season-high 29 minutes.
Viktor Lakhin, still under the weather and sporting a black eye, contributed seven points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes.
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
Statistically, the Tigers weren’t far off from the Cardinals, shooting 40% from the field (26-for-65) and 33.3% from beyond the arc (8-for-24), while Louisville posted 45.5% from the field (25-for-55) and 29.6% from three (8-for-27).
The loss marked Clemson’s ninth straight defeat at Louisville, with head coach Brad Brownell’s record against the Cardinals falling to 6-7.
The Tigers will look to rebound on Saturday, January 11, when they return to Littlejohn Coliseum to face Florida State at 2:00 PM on the ACC Network.
TODAY: BIG DEALS on a ton of Clemson gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
(Checkout code: 24SHIP)
