Short-handed Tigers earn big win over Wake Forest to end losing streak

Collins helped the Tigers close out the win. (Photo: Dawson Powers / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Feb 23 21:19:53 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Clemson earned its best win of the season with two starters on the bench.

Chase Hunter scored a career-high 21 points and Al-Amir Dawes hit several big baskets in the second half as short-handed Clemson defeated Wake Forest 80-69 Wednesday night in Littlejohn Coliseum. Nick Honor added 13 after a big first half that saw the Tigers take a quick lead they would never relinquish.

Hunter’s previous career-high was 15, scored against Miami earlier this season. Clemson improves to 13-15 overall and 5-12 in the ACC, while Wake falls to 21-8 overall and 11-7 in league play.

Clemson has won 14 out of the last 16 matchups in the series. The Tigers had lost six in a row and 10-out of-12 before the victory. Jake Laravia scored 15 and Damari Monsanto scored 17 to lead the Demon Deacons.

The Tigers were without the services of starters Hunter Tyson (broken clavicle) and PJ Hall (foot). Hall re-injured his foot in the first minute last Saturday at Louisville and was scratched from the game. One of the key pieces for the Demon Deacons also missed the contest – forward Isaiah Mucius (7.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG) didn’t feel well at the morning shootaround and was a late scratch. Another Wake Forest forward, Khadim Sy, left early with a leg injury and didn’t return.

Clemson led by as many as 13 in the first half. The teams traded early 3-pointers – a trend that would last the entire first half – and the Tigers went up by double digits when Alex Hemenway connected from deep to make it 18-8 halfway through the stanza.

A little over three minutes later, Honor drilled a 3-pointer off the fast break to give the Tigers a 28-15 lead with just over six minutes left to play in the half. However, Wake’s Damari Monsanto, starting in place of Mucius, got hot and hit 3-pointers in a short span and when Jake Laravia dunked with 2:21 to play in the half, Clemson’s advantage was down to two at 31-29.

The Tigers led 36-33 at intermission.

The teams traded baskets for much of the first five minutes of the second half, but when Daivien Williamson hit a 3-pointer with just under 15 minutes to play the Demon Deacons were back to within one at 46-45. On three different occasions, the Deacs had a chance to take their first lead of the game, but Clemson’s defense stayed stout and the Tigers held on.

With the Tigers ahead 48-47, Dawes hit a 3-pointer for a 51-47 lead, and then hit another for a 54-47 lead at the 9:44 mark. Two minutes later, Dawes hit another 3-pointer from the wing, as he fell backward, and the Tigers led 61-51 at the 7:06 mark. Out of the timeout, David Collins found Ian Schiefellin under the basket for a layup and the lead was back to 12 at 63-51.

However, Wake’s Jake Laravia almost single-handedly willed the Demon Deacons back into the game, scoring seven points in a two-minute span that forced the Tigers to call a timeout leading 66-62 with just over three minutes to play in the contest. Hunter hit back-to-back layups – the second on a steal that he took coast-to-coast – but Laravia kept having his way inside and Clemson led 70-65 with 1:49 remaining.

Wake trimmed the lead to 70-67, but Dawes drove the lane and laid a finger-roll off the backboard to put Clemson ahead 72-67 with 1:02 to play. Out of a timeout Monsanto, who had been hot from beyond the arc, airballed a 3-pointer that was rebounded by Collins. Collins was fouled and made both free throws to give Clemson a 74-67 lead with 45 seconds remaining.

From that point on, the Demon Deacons weren’t able to close the gap and Dawes hit all six of his free throws in the last minute to seal the victory.

Clemson travels to The Heights to take on Boston College at the Conte Forum Saturday at 3 p.m. The game is scheduled to be televised by the ACC Network. That game marks the last road of the regular season for the Tigers, who play their last two games at home against Georgia Tech and Virginia before heading to Brooklyn for the ACC Tournament.

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