Supporting Hunter, Jaden Zackery contributed 16 points, Ian Schieffelin had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Chauncey Wiggins added 11 points. Additionally, Dillon Hunter came off the bench to score 10 points, helping Clemson improve to a 15-4 overall record and 7-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
For Pittsburgh, Ishmael Leggett was the top scorer with 18 points. Cameron Cohren had an impressive performance, shooting 7-for-7 to finish with 15 points. Both Jaland Lowe and Zack Austin also scored 15 points apiece, while Guillermo Diaz Graham rounded out the scoring with 10 points for the Panthers, who now sit at 12-6 on the season and 3-4 in the ACC.
Hunter’s decisive three-pointer late in overtime brought the score to 78-73 in favor of Clemson. Earlier in the extra period, Wiggins had broken a 68-all tie with his own long-range shot with 3:28 left, allowing the Tigers to maintain their lead for the remainder of the game.
The game remained tense as Lowe managed to tie things at 66 with a layup just before the end of regulation, leading to a scoreless stretch for both teams, sending them into overtime.
Clemson entered halftime with a solid 40-30 advantage and quickly built on that lead after halftime. Schieffelin opened the second half with a three-pointer, followed by a jump shot from Wiggins and two free throws from Zackery, giving the Tigers a sizeable 14-point lead at 47-33.
The Panthers began to claw back, aided by a scoring drought from Clemson that lasted for three minutes. Leggett began the comeback by sinking two free throws before cutting the deficit to 55-47 with a three-pointer at the 12:10 mark.
Pittsburgh continued to pressure, tying the game at 57 when Damian Dunn scored from beyond the arc with 8:35 left. Leggett’s three-pointer with 5:43 left put the Panthers up 62-61, marking their first lead since they led 11-9 early in the first half.
Looking ahead, Clemson is set to host Syracuse on Wednesday, while Pittsburgh will also head to Syracuse on January 25.
