On Saturday, Clemson’s men’s basketball team took its offensive surge on the road and picked up an important win in the process. The Tigers blew past NC State for a 96-71 win at PNC Arena, with Brevin Galloway pouring in a career-high 28 points and PJ Hall adding 20. This victory is also Clemson’s sixth straight win in the series dating back to 2021. In this article, we will take a closer look at the game and the implications of this victory for Clemson’s NCAA Tournament resume.
Clemson’s Offense Comes Alive on the Road
Clemson shot a blistering 59% from the field, with Galloway sinking four of the Tigers’ 10 3-pointers. Chase Hunter scored 15 points, while Hunter Tyson chipped in his 14th double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 boards. The Tigers also shot 18 of 22 from the free-throw line and outrebounded NC State by six.
Implications of the Victory
This victory is Clemson’s fourth Quad 1 win of the season, giving the team the first real boost to its NCAA Tournament resume since beating Duke at home back on Jan. 14. The Tigers stayed in sole possession of fourth place in the ACC standings with the win, and it was also much needed following the Tigers’ perplexing setback to last-place Louisville a week earlier.
Brevin Galloway Leads the Charge
Brevin Galloway had a career-high 28 points, surpassing his previous career-high of 27 points set in December 2020 while playing for the College of Charleston. He connected on five of his first six shots and four of his first five 3s. Hall scored from a little bit of everywhere, adding 16 first-half points, knocking down a pair of Clemson’s eight first-half 3s and making seven of his first nine shots from the field.
Clemson’s Fast Start
Clemson scored the most points it has in a half all season to take a 54-29 halftime lead on the Wolfpack, who’d won all but one of its 16 home games before Saturday. Galloway and Hall spearheaded the Tigers’ fast start.
Clemson’s Defense
Meanwhile, the Tigers were able to keep NC State’s potent backcourt tandem in check early. The Wolfpack’s leading scorers, guards Jarkel Joiner and Terquavion Smith, had just 13 points on a combined 5 of 17 shooting in the first 20 minutes. Senior big D.J. Burns Jr. led NC State in scoring with 24 points as Joiner and Smith combined for 26. They were averaging a combined 34.9 coming in.
What’s Next for Clemson?
With a chance to double up on Quad 1 opportunities, Clemson will face off against No. 6 Virginia on Tuesday. “We’re on the bubble obviously, so this was a big win for us,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said.
