Clemson Tigers vs NC State Wolfpack Basketball Recap

Clemson 60 – NC State 50

Clemson overcame a 19 point first-half deficit to defeat NC State by 10 points at Littlejohn Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, on Tuesday night.

With a 14-6 record (3-3 in the ACC), the Tigers pulled themselves out of a five-way tie for sixth place in a muddled conference race this season. Coach Brad Brownell’s squad, coming off tough road losses to North Carolina by 10, and Maryland by two in a squeaker, couldn’t afford a home loss to the struggling squad from Raleigh.

Sidney Lowe’s Wolfpack (12-8, 2-4 ACC) hit the floor shooting the lights out, leading by 10 points six minutes into the game on their way to a 19-point lead with four minutes remaining in the half. Lowe had moved Javier Gonzelez from the point to a shooting guard position, with Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Harrow rotating at the point; the combination seemed to work. Clemson, without forward Tanner Smith – benched with a knee injury – reduced the Wolfpack lead to 34-29 at the half behind an effective transition game.

NC State stretched its tenuous lead to nine points early in the second half, but Clemson’s defense limited the Wolfpack to 16 points in the second half, and after taking their first lead 49-48 at 5:30 remaining, the Tigers roared on a 16-0 run to a victory on an evening that devastated the Wolfpack, leaving North Carolina State muttering to itself and wondering, in disgust, how such a commanding lead could evaporate against one of Clemson’s poorer teams in recent memory. Clemson had become an annual NCAA Tournament team under former coach Oliver Purnell, but this group of Tigers has fallen to the lower tier of the ACC. Losing to Clemson is bad enough; losing to Clemson after having a 19-point lead will sting NC State even more.

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Demontez Stitt led the Tigers with 17 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Jerai Grant with 14 points and seven rebounds.

NC State’s Tracy Smith had 13 points, followed by Harrow and Brown with nine points each.

Clemson out-rebounded the Wolfpack 34-24, emphasizing the Pack’s lack of inside effectiveness.

The 29 point turnaround - a record comeback at home in conference games - was an enormous effort for the Tigers, especially considering their recent setbacks in road defeats.

A road loss for Lowe’s Wolfpack would normally be seen as par-for-the-course in a balanced (albeit down) ACC, but blowing a 19 point deficit to lose by double digits is the kind of snowman that might leave a lasting mark on the program.

By: David Minter
DFN Sports Staff Writer