CLEMSON BASKETBALL

(USA TODAY Sports-Joshua Kelly)
(USA TODAY Sports-Joshua Kelly)

Free-throw struggles, buzzer-beater mark collapse at No. 21 NC State


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Struggles at the free throw line and a long-range buzzer-beater marked a final-seconds collapse by Clemson men's basketball at No. 21 NC State Saturday.

After trailing by as much as nine points in the second half, Clemson big man Elijah Thomas had helped engineer a flip in game momentum and Clemson held a six-point lead with 24 seconds left, 67-61.

NC State guard Markell Johnson's layup and free throw would draw the Wolfpack within three with 19 seconds to go and that's where Marcquise Reed had some moments to forget.

With Clemson holding a slim lead, Reed, who had made 9-of-10 free throws going into the final minute, missed four-straight attempts to clear the way for NC State's Braxton Beverly to hit a 3-point buzzer-beater in the 69-67 Wolfpack win.

Clemson (11-8, 1-5 ACC) trailed by six at the half with neither side lighting it up from beyond the perimeter. The Tigers attempted only four 3s and missed all of them and NC State (16-4, 4-3) went 2-of-11 from beyond the arc. Clemson finished without a 3-point make on the game (0-7).

The Wolfpack extended their lead to nine points less than three minutes into the second half but the Tigers started chipping away thanks to Thomas and some timely offensive rebounds.

Thomas had a quiet first half but he made his presence known in a 12-0 run midway through the second half that gave Clemson its first lead in nearly 25 minutes with 6:25 to go. Thomas scored 14 of his 18 points in the second session and grabbed six rebounds.

Subbed in for senior Shelton Mitchell late, Clyde Trapp grabbed a rebound on two of his shot attempts and put back a layup to go 63-60 with 1:43 left. Reed extended the lead with a contested jumper less than a minute later to go up two scores.

After Reed's first set of missed free throws in the final seconds, Beverly knocked down two free-throw attempts when fouled out of a timeout with nine to go. He then got the feed on the break to knock down the game-winner after Reed's last miss.

The Tigers return to action at home versus Pittsburgh on Tuesday (9 p.m./ESPNU).

Notes: Marcquise Reed tallied the program’s 24th “Triple Leadership” in history … Reed finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists … it’s Reed’s second of this variety in his career at Clemson – tallying a “Triple Leadership” in a win over North Carolina last season (20p, 8r, 5a) … Reed’s 19 points served as his 57th double-digit scoring game of his Clemson career (13 shy of tying Butch Zatezalo and Larry Nance for 16th all time) … Reed moved into 27th on the all-time scoring list in Clemson history (1,190) … with two steals (137 career), Reed is just four away from tying Bobby Conrad (1976-80) for 15th all time … Elijah Thomas swatted three shots – his most in ACC play this season … Thomas’ 136 career blocks at Clemson rank 10th all-time … his 1.74 blocks per game are tied for sixth all-time with former Tiger great Dale Davis … Thomas surpassed the 800-point mark of his Clemson career (809) … 4Aamir Simms notched a career high with three steals … Clyde Trapp set a new career-high for offensive rebounds with four.


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spacer TNET: Free-throw struggles, buzzer-beater mark collapse at No. 21 NC State
TigerNet News®
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dixiedon
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TigerOmally®
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HumbleServant®
spacer I don't think Brownell is the one that missed 4 free throws
longtallsam®
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northernVAtiger®
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tigered1®
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Joel1993
spacer Good night nurse!!!
mojotiger®
spacer Re: Good night nurse!!!
Oconee Tiger®
spacer A road loss to a ranked ACC team
Judge Keller®
spacer Re: A road loss to a ranked ACC team
Rswanson
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ash4trek
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chasn79
spacer Shaka Smart...???
bigb71089
spacer Re: Shaka Smart...???
luckyj®
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Valley Boy
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Morris24
spacer Re: TNET: Free-throw struggles, buzzer-beater mark collapse at No. 21 NC State
ash4trek
spacer I don't know what firing CBB will do.
1994CUTIGER®
spacer Hiring Shaka Smart would be YUGE !
OhWiseOne®
spacer He's not coming, get real, we aren't winning a bidding war
CM Shack®