NCAA BASKETBALL: Balanced Clemson squad clamps down on Wake Forest

RJ Godfrey led a balanced Clemson attack with 11 points and eight rebounds as the fifth-seeded Tigers topped 13th-seeded Wake Forest 71-62 in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) tournament Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C.

Nick Davidson, Ace Buckner, Butta Johnson, and Dillon Hunter each added eight points, helping Clemson (23-9) advance to a quarterfinal matchup against fourth-seeded North Carolina on Thursday. Chase Thompson chipped in nine points as the Tigers pursued their first ACC tournament title since the event’s inception in 1954.

Clemson’s trademark physical defense forced 12 turnovers and limited Wake Forest to 44% shooting from the field. Coach Brad Brownell deployed all 10 players, each logging at least 10 minutes, to wear down the Demon Deacons, who were coming off an overtime win against Virginia Tech in the opening round. Clemson committed just four turnovers, and its reserves outscored Wake Forest’s bench 34-20.

The Tigers started hot from 3-point range, making 10 of their first 19 attempts. Seven players connected from deep, including reserve Dallas Thomas, who made both of his shots. Despite missing their final 12 attempts from beyond the arc, Clemson had already built a 20-point lead.

For Wake Forest (17-16), Juke Harris scored 22 points, Nate Calmese added 20, and Tre’Von Spillers posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Demon Deacons briefly showed promise in the second half when Calmese scored nine straight points, but Wake Forest never cut the deficit below eight.

Clemson’s lead swelled early with back-to-back 3-pointers from Johnson, Thomas, and Buckner, giving the Tigers a 27-16 advantage midway through the first half. By halftime, triples from Thomas and Jake Wahlin pushed the margin to 41-23.

The Tigers faced a setback when 6-foot-11 center Carter Welling suffered a right knee injury in the first half. Welling, the team’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder, was seen on crutches during the second half.

With this win, Clemson moves on to face North Carolina, aiming to continue its run in the ACC tournament.

—Field Level Media/Reuters