DURHAM, N.C. -- Tyrese Proctor hit two free throws with 1 second left to help No. 12 Duke hang on to beat Clemson 72-71 on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium, barely averting the program's first home loss to the Tigers in nearly three decades.
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER AT TIGERILLUSTRATED.com!
With his team trailing by one, Proctor raced up the court and ran into two defenders near the top of the arc before pushing inside the paint to draw a foul from Josh Beadle. Proctor ended up on the floor, the “Cameron Crazies” erupted in a relieved roar while Tigers coach Brad Brownell immediately ripped off his sportscoat as he turned back to his bench at the opposite end of the court.
ALSO SEE: Seeing is believing in Clemson football recruiting | CLEMSON's ELITE JUNIOR DAY: What we are watching | CLEMSON's ELITE JUNIOR DAY PREVIEW | Clemson's verbal commitments
Proctor calmly knocked down both shots for the lead, then Clemson failed to get off a shot with a desperation inbounds heave for star forward P.J. Hall.
Hall collided with Duke defender Mark Mitchell and both ended up on the floor as the horn sounded.
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
Moments later, Brownell was giving the officials an earful and also pulled back Chase Hunter and Joseph Girard III from venting their frustrations at the officials over the final sequence
Duke freshman Jared McCain had 16 of his 21 points after halftime for the Blue Devils (15-4, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), while Proctor had 18 points.
Hall had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers (13-6, 3-5), including two free throws with 7.4 seconds left that had Clemson on the verge of only its fifth win ever in Cameron Indoor Stadium — with the last coming in the 1994-95 season.
Duke, which held a 32-26 lead at halftime, shot 41.2-percent from the field and hit just 21-of-33 (63.6%) conversions at the foul line, but made 9-of-21 (42.9%) from the three-point range.
The Tigers shot just 38.3% from the floor, but were 18-of-22 (81.8%) from the foul line. Clemson converted seven of 23 attempts (30.4%) from long range.
Hunter and Girard added double figures in scoring, reaching 11 and 13 points respectively.
Ian Schieffelin added six points but posted a game-high 11 rebounds.
Clemson falls to 4-64 all-time against the Blue Devils in Durham.
BIG PICTURE
Clemson: The Tigers peaked at No. 13 in the AP Top 25 amid a 9-0 start, but they’ve lost momentum in January by losing four of six coming into Durham. They were on the brink of a huge boost for their postseason resume, including going up 69-65 on Hall's two free throws at the 2:15 mark, but fell a play short.
Duke: The Blue Devils had a fight the whole way, including with Hall getting the better of a matchup of star big men with Kyle Filipowski (nine points on 2-for-8 shooting). Duke won despite being beaten soundly on the glass (42-33) and being outscored 15-0 in second-chance points.
The Tigers will close out January with a return to Littlejohn Coliseum next Tuesday where they will host Louisville (6-14, 1-8). The game is set for a 9:00 p.m. ET tip and will air on the ACC Network.
BIG JANUARY DEALS on officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
