Clemson Ties Program Regular Season Win Record with 78-69 Win at Boston College
Jaeden Zackery scores a game-high 21 in his return to Chestnut Hill.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – In his long-awaited return to Boston College, Jaeden Zackery (Salem, Wis./Westosha Central/Boston College) totaled a game-high 21 points to tie his season-best in Clemson University men’s basketball’s 25th victory of the season. Clemson tied the 1986-87 team for the most regular season victories in a season.
The Tigers (25-5, 17-2 ACC) were led by Zackery’s 21 points. He also posted three rebounds and a steal.Viktor Lakhin (Anapa, Russia/CSKA-2/Cincinnati) totaled his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Lakhin added one assist, steal and block.
Chase Hunter (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) scored 18 points and moved into sixth on Clemson’s all-time scoring list (1,720). Hunter totaled a team-best three assists and two steals. Ian Schieffelin’s (Atlanta, Ga./Grayson) rounded out the Tigers’ double-digit scorers with 13 points and eight rebounds – he collected two assists.
The opening stanza went back and forth with Clemson holding a 14-11 advantage at the 13:54 mark. The Tigers would engineer a 15-3 run to open the game up and give themselves a 14-point lead. During that run and with the score 21-11, Zackery rattled off seven consecutive points.
Clemson would lead by as many as 16 in the first half (41-26), but Boston College narrowed the gap and trailed by just 10 at the break.
The second half was a different story for Clemson offensively, as the Tigers struggled to shoot the ball, but also committed 11 turnovers. The Eagles took advantage and cut the Tigers’ lead to just one possession, but Clemson never wavered and held off the Eagles to win by nine. Clemson’s defense showed up late to help secure the victory.
Chauncey Wiggins (Grayson, Ga./Grayson) scored seven points off the bench, while Dillon Hunter(Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) added three points and four rebounds.
The Tigers extended the school record of wins in the ACC in a single season (17) and finished the year 9-1 on the road in league play – the new single season mark for road victories in a season.
The Tigers return to the court on Saturday, March 8 when they host Virginia Tech for Senior Night. Tipoff is set for 6:05 p.m. on ESPNU.
