CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Ian Schieffelin proved instrumental with a remarkable performance, scoring 13 of his 21 points in the second half, leading No. 13 Clemson to a comeback victory over Virginia with a 71-58 win on Saturday.
Schieffelin, who delivered a 24-point game against Notre Dame previously, also pulled down 13 rebounds, marking his ninth double-double of the season. This victory helped the Tigers, now 24-5 overall and 16-2 in the ACC, to remain just behind conference leaders Duke.
For the Cavaliers, Isaac McKneely led with 16 points as the team managed 8 for 19 from beyond the arc, falling short of their recent shooting performances where they hit 10 or more 3-pointers in seven of their last ten outings.
Observations from the Game:
Clemson managed to recover from an initially shaky start and a determined Virginia effort, dominating the second half by outscoring the Cavaliers 44-26. This effort has secured them 24 victories for the second year running.
On the other hand, Virginia entered the game with momentum from a road win over Wake Forest on Wednesday and attempted to end an eight-game losing streak against ranked teams. The Cavaliers displayed one of their stronger halves of the season, taking a 32-27 lead into halftime. Yet, they failed to maintain that intensity, concluding the season with a losing record in ACC play for the first time since 2010-2011.
Turning Point:
Trailing at halftime by five points, Clemson launched an impressive 20-2 run in the early moments of the second half to seize control of the game. Schieffelin was crucial during this stretch, contributing nine points, which led to the Tigers establishing a 47-39 lead with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game.
Statistical Highlights:
Clemson dominated the game by scoring 48 points in the paint, exploiting Virginia’s weaknesses in interior defense. This marked the second consecutive game where the Cavaliers’ defense struggled in the paint, as evidenced by their season-high 52 points conceded in the paint against Wake Forest.
Upcoming Games:
Looking ahead, Clemson is set to face Boston College on Wednesday night, while Virginia will go up against Florida State at home on Tuesday night.
