CLEMSON -- With the Syracuse defense looking like cardboard cutouts, Clemson’s backcourt put on a show in front of the Military Appreciation crowd, cruising to an 86-72 win Wednesday night in Littlejohn Coliseum.
Chase Hunter set the tone early, torching the Orange in the first half with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including four triples. He slowed down after halftime but still finished with 23 points, three steals, and a rebound and assist apiece.
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Hunter’s first-half explosion all but put the game out of reach, as the Tigers (16-4, 8-1) stretched their lead to 48-29 by halftime after a 10-0 run to close the half.
Syracuse (9-10, 3-5) went scoreless for the final 4:54 before the break.
Following the break, the Tigers never let the Orange get within 15 points until under three minutes left, keeping them at a comfortable distance throughout.
JJ Starling did his best to keep Syracuse afloat, scoring 22 of his 25 points in the first half, but he cooled off after halftime and finished 10-of-26 from the field.
The rest of Clemson’s backcourt joined the fun against a porous Syracuse defense.
Del Jones stepped up in his 15 minutes with Dillon Hunter sidelined by illness. Jones was perfect from the floor, scoring nine points on 3-of-3 shooting, including a three-pointer, while adding four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Though he had a few rookie mistakes, Jones is clearly earning Brad Brownell’s trust and could play a key role in bigger games.
Jaeden Zackery chipped in 14 points, while getting in his bag and finishing at the rim. He also added four assists and two steals.
The Tigers were ferocious on defense, forcing 14 turnovers and recording 10 steals, which led to 19 points on the other end.
Viktor Lakhin quietly notched his third double-double of the season with 16 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
Ian Schieffelin logged a team-high 37 minutes despite not being 100% and contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
It’s worth noting Myles Foster didn’t see the floor, and Christian Reeves played just five minutes despite Schieffelin not being fully healthy.
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Clemson dominated the paint, outscoring Syracuse 40-20 down low, thanks to the guards’ ability to drive and finish.
The Tigers shot 56.4% (31-of-55) from the field, 45% (9-of-20) from deep, and 71.4% (15-of-21) from the free-throw line. Syracuse shot 53.8% (28-of-52) overall and 52.4% (11-of-21) from three but managed only six free-throw attempts, converting five.
The win marks Clemson’s fourth straight victory over Syracuse, improving Brownell’s record against the Orange to 9-6.
The Tigers are now 5-0 against Quad 3 opponents this season.
Next up, Clemson heads to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech on Saturday, January 25, with tipoff set for 5 p.m. on the ACC Network.
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