NICEVILLE, FL: Clemson rebounded from Friday’s disappointing loss with a focused defensive effort in a 67-59 victory over Cal at the Emerald Coast Classic. Less than 24 hours removed from a narrow defeat at the hands of the 25th-ranked Hawkeyes, the Tigers returned to the floor in the hopes of regaining the momentum built during a three-game winning streak. Clemson took strides in the right direction, limiting the Golden Bears to 6 of 22 (27%) shooting in the first half and just 40% for the game.
Cal (0-7) struggled to stretch the Tigers defense, knocking down just 3 of its 20 shots from behind the 3-point line. Clemson, on the other hand, made a nice living from deep, connecting on 7 of 17 3-point shots. Chase Hunter and Hunter Tyson both continued their stellar play, combining for 28 points. Hunter and Tyson have been shouldering a heavy load, as of late, with each player logging more than 70 minutes of floor time in a 24-hour period.
Hunter scored 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting to go with a game-high seven assists. Tyson was equally efficient, scoring 14 points on just eight shot attempts. For the second consecutive game, Tyson saved his best play for the second half, scoring 12 points after the break.
All-ACC forward P.J. Hall (10 points) had the touch early and helped Clemson build an advantage by sinking 4 of his first 5 shots. Brevin Galloway picked up the slack out of the locker room, scoring 8 of his 10 points in the second half.
Clemson (5-2) will next square off with Penn State as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Tipoff from Littlejohn Coliseum is set for 7 p.m., Tuesday.
Brad Brownell and Hunter Tyson postgame press conference
