Clemson made five of eight shots in overtime, including a late three-pointer by Chase Hunter that sealed the win, as the Tigers pulled out a 78-75 win at Pitt on Saturday afternoon. The third Q1 win of the season for the Tigers was their third straight ACC win as they improved to 7-1 in league play and 15-4 overall.
The Tigers swept their two games on the road this week after winning at Georgia Tech Tueday night and are 5-3 away from Littlejohn Coliseum this season.
Clemson has won six of its seven trips to Pittsburgh since the Panthers joined the ACC, and they seemed to have this game in hand with an 11-point lead 55-44 with 12:39 to play. But over the next four minutes, the Panthers outscored the Tigers 13-2 to forge a 57-57 tie.
The game stayed close the rest of the way with Clemson taking a 66-64 lead on a jumper by Jaeden Zackery with thirty-three seconds left. Pitt tied the game with nineteen seconds remaining on a layup by Jaland Lowe.
The Tigers had the chance for a final shot to win in regulation, but Hunter lost the ball with five seconds left. Pitt was unable to get off a final shot and the game went to overtime.
The teams traded baskets to open the extra session. Chauncey Wiggins then gave the Tigers the lead for good with a second chance three-pointer for a 71-68 lead with 3:28 to play. A little more than a minute later Zackery scored on a layup for a five-point cushion.
Pitt cut the lead to two on a three-pointer by Lowe, but Wiggins answered with a basket in the lane to make it 75-71 Clemson with 1:33 to play.
A minute later Ishmael Leggett scored on the fastbreak off a turnover to cut the lead to two again, but Hunter delivered the dagger with a three-pointer with fourteen seconds to play for a 78-73 margin. Pitt got a tip-in just before the final buzzer to account for the final three-point spread.
Clemson was hot from the outside making a season high 14 three-pointers out of 27 attempts, and shooting 51% overall for the game.
Hunter led five Tigers in double figures with 20 points. Zackery had 16 points and Ian Schieffelin added 15 points and 11 rebounds for his 8th double-double of the season.
The Tiges are back home to face Syracuse on Wednesday night.
Final Stats
