CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 20 Clemson came up short Wednesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum, falling to Virginia Tech, 76-66.
The Tigers move to 20-5 overall and 10-2 in ACC play. Carter Welling led the way with 19 points, marking his highest output of the season. The Draper, Utah native briefly left the game with an ankle injury but returned to finish strong, also recording a season-high three blocks. The performance marked his 16th game in double figures this year.
Clemson received a significant boost from its bench, particularly from Nick Davidson and Ace Buckner. The duo combined for 32 points, accounting for nearly half of Clemson’s total scoring. Buckner notched his 10th double-digit effort of the season with 16 points, while Davidson matched him with 16 of his own — his 12th double-figure game this year and his fourth in the last five outings. The Tigers’ bench contributed 35 points overall.
After trailing for much of the second half, Clemson made a push midway through the period. With just over eight minutes remaining, Buckner connected from beyond the arc to trim the deficit to five. However, Virginia Tech’s efficiency from three-point range proved decisive. The Hokies knocked down 11 triples and were perfect on 13 free-throw attempts. Clemson, meanwhile, hit five shots from long distance and went 11-for-18 at the foul line.
Under head coach Brad Brownell, Clemson now holds a 94-35 overall record dating back to the start of the 2022-23 season, including a 53-19 mark in conference play during that stretch.
The Tigers will look to bounce back Saturday, Feb. 14, when they travel to Durham to face No. 4 Duke at noon on ESPN.
