CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Clemson triumphed over Miami with a score of 65-55 in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Chase Hunter led the Tigers with 18 points, while Ian Schieffelin contributed significantly with 15 points and 12 rebounds, marking his fifth double-double of the season. This victory marks Clemson’s sixth consecutive win, following their previous triumph against No. 4 Kentucky with a score of 70-66 earlier in the week.
In the second half, Hunter was particularly impactful, scoring 12 of his total points, while Viktor Lakhin also made a noteworthy contribution, scoring all 12 of his points in the second half, largely attributed to hitting two critical three-pointers. Clemson managed to shoot a total of 40% from the field, including nine successful three-point attempts.
For the Hurricanes, Jalil Bethea was the standout player off the bench with 12 points. However, Miami, now holding a record of 3-6, struggled overall, suffering their sixth consecutive defeat. The team shot 41% from the floor and had a tough time with three-point shooting, connecting on only 4 out of 25 attempts. Nijel Pack, Miami’s leading scorer averaging 16.1 points per game, had a disappointing outing, failing to score and finishing 0-for-7.
As the game neared its conclusion, Clemson held a slim three-point lead with just over two minutes remaining. They managed to pull away by finishing the game on a 9-2 run. After Pack missed a crucial three-pointer from the baseline, Hunter responded with a jumper from the foul line. Subsequently, Lakhin, after grabbing a defensive rebound, went to the line and sank both free throws, extending Clemson’s lead to ten with just 33 seconds left on the clock.
Clemson took control of the game midway through the second half, primarily due to Lakhin’s back-to-back three-pointers, which allowed them to secure the lead. The match featured seven lead changes and six ties before Clemson edged ahead 25-24 at halftime. In the first half, Schieffelin was impressive, scoring 11 points and making all three of his three-point attempts while also grabbing six rebounds, helping the Tigers to lead by as many as 11 points.
Looking ahead, Clemson is set to face 16th-ranked Memphis at home next Saturday. Meanwhile, Miami will take on No. 3 Tennessee at Madison Square Garden as part of the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday.