LITTLEJOHN COLISEUM: Clemson’s final home game of the 2023-2024 season ended in a memorable 90-75 victory for the four Tigers playing their final game at Littlejohn Coliseum. Senior Night was led by senior star PJ Hall . Hall was nearly unstoppable in the first half making 9-12 shots, ioncluding 2-3 from distance, for 21 points, which were half the Tigers’ total output.
Fellow seniors/ grad students Joseph Giardl, Chase Hunter and Jack Clark also played big roles as the Tigers improved to 21-9 overall and 11-8 in the ACC. Junior Ian Schieffelin also mad ehis present felt throughout the game.
The Tigers closed the first half hot, ending with a 12-2 run, to boost them to a 42-30 lead. . The second half started well for Syracuse, with Judah Mintz coming out to a perfect 3-3 shooting. The Orange found their stride after eight minutes of back and forth, cutting the lead to seven with 11 minutes left to play.
However, the Orange never made a deep enough run in the second half to catch the Tigers. Syracuse got to within five points at 56-51 with 11:47 to play, the Tigers then went on a 12-3 run over the next 3:46 to push the lead to 14 points and they were never threatened from there.
The Tigers played great offensive in the second half shooting at a 63% clip. Girard led the way for the Tigers with 16 points in the second half, and was helped by Hunter and Schieffelin, who added ten and nine points respecitvely, in the final twenty minutes.
Despite Syracuse shooting at a high rate as well, Clemson weathered the storm from Mintz, who scored 13 of his 20 total points in the second half. The Orange increased their percentages from the first, but the dominant second half by Clemson topped the improved shooting from the Orange.
Clemson had four players in double figures, with Hall leading the way with 25 points. Girard hit four three-pointers on his way to a 21 point night. He also had four assists and three rebounds. Hunter knocked down three long balls as part of an 18 point night. He also dealt three assists. And Schieffelin recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Clemson finishes their regular season on Saturday with a pivotal matchup against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem in a game that will have implications related to the fourth place finisher in the league standings, and the double-bye for the ACC Tournament. (Story by Brooks Thomason)