The #16 ranked Clemson men’s basketball team is locked in a tight game with the #8 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. At halftime the score is tied 34-34 at Littlejohn Coliseum. Both offenses have been sluggish at times with the score staying low early, though both teams, especially North Carolina, started to heat up toward the end of the first half. Here are some observations from the first half of action from Clemson.
Lack of early offense
Both the Tigers and Tar Heels struggled on offense early. North Carolina jumped out to an early 13-7 lead before going ice cold, allowing Clemson to rally for an 18-17 lead midway through the first half. The game continued to see-saw until the final five minutes of the opening stanza, when the Tar Heels opened up a 34-30 lead on the strength of their outside shooting. The Tigers, however, have rallied to knot the score at the break.
Holding Bacot and Davis at bay
Back to defense, the Tigers have done an excellent job limiting the Tar Heels’ two stars in center Armondo Bacot and guard R.J. Davis. That tandem has scored just 10 combined points for North Carolina, which has limited the Tar Heels’ options on the offensive end. If Clemson can continue to lock up North Carolina’s two primary scorers, that will bode well down the stretch of this game.
Outside shooting or lack thereof
While Clemson has found success in the lane and getting to the free throw line, the Tigers have not shot the ball well from behind the arc. Clemson has not connected on a three-pointer and are 0-8 from distance. Joseph Girard is one of the leading three-point shooters in the country and scored five first half points. Getting Girard going will be critical for Clemson if they hope to pull off the upset.
Cover Cormac
By far the best performance for North Carolina in the first half came from senior Cormac Ryan. Ryan has 10 points to lead all scorers, along with Ian Schieffelin for Clemson, and has knocked down two long balls in what has been one of his best shooting games of the season. With not much else clicking for North Carolina, stopping Ryan could grind the Tar Heels’ offense to a complete half.
Hall pass
P.J. Hall, Clemson’s star who averages 20.2 points per game, has been quiet while scoring just six points in the first 20 minutes. It is imperative Hall begin to assert himself in the second half. He has gotten the best of Bacot on the defensive end, but getting some shots to fall will energize Clemson and put even more momentum behind the Tigers.
