DALLAS — Jaeden Zackery delivered a standout performance, scoring 19 points—highlighted by a personal best with five 3-pointers before the halftime break—as well as contributing six rebounds, seven assists, and five steals to lead No. 18 Clemson to a 79-69 victory over SMU on Saturday.

Chase Hunter supported with 17 points, while Viktor Lakhin chipped in with 16 for the Tigers, who improved their record to 22-5 overall and 14-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This victory positions them tied for second place with Louisville and just one game behind Duke.

For the Mustangs, Chuck Harris scored 16 points as Matt Cross and B.J. Edwards each added 12 points. SMU, holding a record of 20-7 and 11-5 in their conference, struggled to overcome Clemson’s scoring prowess and defensive resilience.

In the closing moments of the first half, Clemson finished strong with a 7-2 run after SMU briefly took the lead, with the score at one point favoring the Mustangs 30-29. The Tigers then surged at the start of the second half, scoring nine consecutive points and ultimately building their largest lead of the game at 18 points.

**Takeaways**

Clemson achieved a significant milestone by tying a program record for conference wins, matching the established record from two years ago. They are also in a position to equal or surpass their highest ranking of the season, which peaked at No. 16 in mid-December.

On the other hand, SMU missed out on an important win without their leading player, Boopie Miller, who averages 13.4 points and 5.7 assists per game and has been sidelined for the third consecutive game due to a left foot bruise. A victory would have lifted the Mustangs into the Top 25 for the first time since the 2016-17 season, but they now find themselves winless against ranked teams, with an average defeat margin of 17.3 points.

**Key Moment**

A crucial point in the game occurred early in the second half, when Zackery missed a mid-range shot at the 24-second buzzer, enabling Lakhin to secure the rebound. This set the stage for Hunter’s pivotal 3-pointer amidst Clemson’s explosive 9-0 run at the beginning of the half.

**Key Stat**

Clemson is ranked 61st in Division I for their average of nine 3-pointers per game, and they matched this tally with just over six minutes left in the first half. Ultimately, the Tigers matched their season high by sinking 14 3-pointers out of 29 attempts.

**Looking Ahead**

Clemson’s next challenge will be against Notre Dame on Wednesday, while SMU will travel to face California.