Girard leaves Orange green with envy as #Clemson rolls Syracuse 77-68 (AUDIO)

Clemson backed up its dramatic win at UNC with another solid road victory as the Tigers dropped Syracuse 77-68, Saturday.

Joseph Girard, III had a successful homecoming, knocking down four 3-pointers and leading the Tigers with 18 points in his return to the JMA Wireless Dome. Girard averaged 13.2 points/game and scored 1,652 points in four seasons with the Orange before transferring to Clemson this offseason. P.J. Hall posted another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

The Tigers were remarkably efficient, shooting 61% from the floor and 43% from beyond the arc. Chase Hunter (14 points), Ian Schieffelin (13 points) and Hall were especially effective, combining to make 18 of their 23 shots from the field. But it was Girard’s day. The final line for the transfer guard: 18 points on 5 of 6 shooting, 4 of 5 from the 3-point line and 4 of 4 from the foul line. He also eclipsed 2,000 career points during the course of the game.

While Clemson shot a healthy percentage in both halves, Syracuse was able to threaten in the second half by pressuring the ball and forcing turnovers. The Orange logged 14 steals which led to 15 points. The frontcourt struggled against the pressure as Schieffelin turned it over four times in the first half and Hall committed five for the game. The Tigers recovered, however, hitting 14 of their 21 shots in the second half and nine of their last 11 foul shots.

Clemson (16-7, 6-6) will look to make it three wins in a row when it plays host to Miami (FL) at Littlejohn Coliseum, Wednesday. Tipoff between the Tigers and the Hurricanes is set for 7 p.m.

Final Stats

Brad Brownell postgame press conference