CLEMSON, S.C. — Last year, Clemson’s impressive victory over No. 23 Alabama in the SEC/ACC Challenge propelled them to an Elite Eight appearance. Now, Tigers coach Brad Brownell is hopeful that their recent triumph against No. 4 Kentucky, which ended 70-66 in the same challenge, will similarly launch their season forward.
In a remarkable defensive performance, Clemson managed to limit the high-octane Wildcats to 30 points below their impressive season average of 96.7 points per game. Chase Hunter, a seasoned sixth-year guard who played a pivotal role in last year’s NCAA run, emphasized the significance of this victory. “It just shows we can still do it,” he stated, recalling their past successes against top teams like Baylor and Arizona, which ultimately led them to miss the Final Four after a loss to Alabama.
Hunter remarked that some may have underestimated the team this season due to changes in the roster. “I think maybe people kind of downed us this year; we didn’t have this or that. But we’re a team that fights, and we showed that today. We can compete with anybody,” he expressed.
Clemson’s victory continued their impressive streak, marking the fourth straight win against a top-five opponent while unranked—a feat that hasn’t been achieved by any other unranked team since the AP poll expanded in the 1989-90 season. After trailing at one point, the Tigers rallied in the second half, managing to fend off a late charge from the Wildcats, who closed the gap to 68-66 in the final moments of the game.
Ian Schieffelin had a standout performance, contributing 11 points and a remarkable 20 rebounds—becoming the first player at Clemson to achieve 20 rebounds in a game since Harold Jamison in 1999. Celebrated for his experience, Coach Brownell, now in his 15th year with the Tigers, faced a somewhat transformed roster this season following the departures of leading scorers P.J. Hall and Joseph Girard III, along with R.J. Godfrey’s transfer to Georgia.
To address these changes, Brownell brought in new talent with Viktor Lakhin from Cincinnati, Jaeden Zackery from Boston College, and Myles Foster from Illinois State. Each of these newcomers made significant contributions against Kentucky, with Zackery hitting two of the team’s eight three-pointers and Lakhin tallying four blocks. Foster also provided valuable minutes, scoring seven points in just nine minutes off the bench.
“The problem is, if we don’t have that kind of effort and toughness, it’s not going to be easy for us since we’re not as talented offensively as some of the teams we could face,” Brownell noted, recognizing the importance of resilience this season.
Despite the challenges, the SEC has dominated the inter-conference matchups so far, winning nine out of ten games, with Clemson being the lone ACC victor. Following the game, an excited crowd surged onto the court at Littlejohn Coliseum, marking Clemson’s first victory over Kentucky since 1996, when former coach Rick Barnes led the team to the NCAA Tournament.
Hunter is optimistic about the team’s trajectory, believing they will maintain their competitive intensity as they aim for postseason play. “A lot of guys on this team can defend and really compete out there,” he said, emphasizing that when they are on their game, it will significantly aid their success both offensively and defensively.