The Clemson Tigers haven't been strangers to second-half surges.
Against Boise State, it was Joseph Girard. Facing Alcorn State, PJ Hall rose to the occasion.
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Late Tuesday night at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Hall and Girard were joined by Chase Hunter, all putting up double figures in the second half as the Tigers downed No. 23 Alabama 85-77 as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Up 82-76 with 27 seconds left, Hall was sent to the foul line, converting both. From there, Hall hit two more as the Tigers came away with the eight-point victory. The win gave the Tigers their first 6-0 start since the 2008-09 season and best start under head coach Brad Brownell.
Coming away with the win on the road didn't come easy for Clemson, however, as the Tide appeared to be in control early in the second half.
Mark Sears hit three of Alabama's four made three-pointers in the opening eight minutes following halftime, with the Tide holding a 53-46 advantage.
Alabama looked ready to hand Clemson its first loss of the season, but Hall and the Tigers had other plans.
Hall, facing foul trouble early in the second half, was forced to watch from the bench as Sears and the Tide tightened their grasp.
It did not take him long to make an impact when he returned to the floor.
Down seven, Hall went on a personal 7-0 run, doing a little bit of everything in the process. He fought for shots inside, connected on a three-pointer, and managed trips to the line.
Hall finished with 21 points and eight rebounds on the night.
Following an RJ Godfrey layup, the Tigers took their first lead since the opening seconds of the second half. From there, it was all Clemson.
Much like Hall provided a spark in the second half, Girard has continued to warm up offensively.
Twelve of Girard's 16 points came in the second half where he converted on four of his six three-pointers in the game's final ten minutes.
It was Girard's fourth straight game scoring 15 points or more, continuing to display what made him such a coveted transfer out of Syracuse.
When Girard came to Clemson, many wondered how the backcourt featuring Hunter might play out. Tonight, the duo gave plenty of reasons for fans to feel optimistic moving forward.
Hunter struggled to find his shot in the first half, going 1-5 from the field with an added turnover. His performance following intermission told a different story.
The junior guard found success from beyond the arc and dashed inside past defenders for easy baskets.
The Tigers' bench depth also continued to provide much-needed energy.
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Once again, it was Godfrey leading the way, scoring 11 of the Tigers' 24 points beyond the starting five. Josh Beadle added six points of his own off the bench.
Ian Schieffelin added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Tigers shot 53.3-percent and drilled 11-of-21 (52.4%) from long range, while the Crimson Tide were just 34.3% from the floor.
Sears led the Tide with 23 points, a game-high.
The Tigers will look to stay undefeated as they travel to Pittsburgh to face the Panthers on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. on the ACC Network.
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