Clemson Tigers secured a 71-62 victory over Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the ACC Tournament. The win advances fifth-seeded Clemson (23-9) to the quarterfinals. The game took place on Wednesday night in Charlotte, N.C.
Tigers’ Strong First Half Performance
Clemson launched 13 3-pointers in the first 12-plus minutes. They made seven of those attempts, leading to a 29-18 advantage. Clemson finished the first half shooting 9 for 18 from beyond the arc. Reserves played a key role, converting 5 of 6 from deep, helping Clemson to a 41-23 halftime lead. There were no free throw attempts in the first half until Nick Davidson of Clemson missed two with 5:42 remaining.
Wake Forest’s Second-Half Push
Clemson extended their lead to 52-32. Nate Calmese of the Demon Deacons then scored nine consecutive points. His run included a 3-pointer, a three-point play, and another 3-pointer.
Clemson Holds On for the Win
Clemson went ahead by 16 points with seven minutes left in the game. Wake Forest reduced the deficit to eight points. During that stretch, the Tigers missed nine consecutive shots, and RJ Godfrey missed three consecutive front ends of 1-and-1 free throws. Ace Buckner ended the drought with a layup. Clemson then made six free throws in the final 64 seconds, securing the victory.
Individual Performances
RJ Godfrey had 11 points and eight rebounds for Clemson. Ten Clemson players played at least 10 minutes and scored at least three points. Juke Harris led 13th-seeded Wake Forest (17-16) with 22 points. It was his 33rd consecutive game scoring in double digits, extending his school record. Calmese scored 20 points. Tre’Von Spillers had 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Looking Ahead
Clemson will now play fourth-seeded North Carolina in the quarterfinals on Thursday.