Clemson, SC
Clemson vs Pitt
After losing two on the road last week, Clemson was back home against Pitt in a 9:00 tipoff. Shelton Mitchell got the ball rolling for the Tigers quick sinking a three pointer, followed by a three pointer from Marquise Reed. Saturday against the Wolfpack, the Tigers missed every three pointer they shot. However, against Pitt, they shot for 60% making 9 baskets on 15 attempts.
At the end of the first half, Clemson led Pitt 51-23 which would be a season high of points scored within the first half and would also tie for the most points scored in an opening half of the Brad Brownell era. The Tigers shot for 67% making 16 on 24 attempts, shot at 60% on three pointers making 9 on 15 attempts and made 91% of their free throws. Marquise Reed and Shelton Mitchell led the team with 14 points each. David Skara led with 6 rebounds and Elijah Thomas had 3 assists. Clemson also accounted for 16 rebounds throughout the course of the first half.
The Tigers got off to a slower start in the second half only scoring 11 points during the first 10 minutes of the half. The Tigers would rally together throughout the remainder of the second half as the Tigers would pull off a 82-69 win over Pitt. Throughout the course of the game Marquise Reed led the Tigers with 26 points, David Skara led the team with 7 rebounds and Shelton Mitchell had 5 assists. Clemson shot at 55% making 26 on 47 attempts, shot for 52% with 3 pointers making 14 on 27 attempts and shot for 76% at the freethrow line. Clemson accumulated 30 rebounds throughout the night.
“Outstanding first half by our team. I am really proud of our guys” Head Coach Brad Brownell said. “It was nice to see the guys bounce back after the tough loss at State.” Coach Brownell spoke on how well Marquise Reed was able to put the loss behind him after Reed had a difficult time at the free throw line saying that after the team arrived home from Raleigh, Reed was in the back gym shooting.
Clyde Trapp, who Coach Brad Brownell spoke highly off at the postgame press conference saying he has been learning to play with a lot more confidence this season had a career high of 16 points tonight “I was just out there playing” Trapp said at the postgame interview “I just had a good time out there and I was just being me.”
The Tigers will be back in Littlejohn on Sunday for a 12 p.m. tipoff with Wake Forest.
Notes:
Clemson snapped a two-game skid in league play with the victory … it marked the Tigers’ fifth-straight win over Pittsburgh in the all-time series – leading it 5-3 … Clemson improves to 24-3 (.888) over its last 27 games at home … Clemson’s 51 first half points tied for the most in the Brad Brownell Era … Clemson also scored 51 points against Coppin State on Dec. 4, 2016 … Clemson made a season-high 14 three-pointers – the first time reaching double-figures of threes made since hitting 10 against NC Central on Nov. 9, 2018 … 14 made 3-pointers has only been eclipsed once in the last 114 games for the Tigers dating back to Nov. 30 2015 at Minnesota (14 made threes) – Clemson made 15 against North Carolina last season (Jan. 30, 2018) … Brad Brownell won his 161st career game at Clemson making him 16 shy of tying Cliff Ellis (177) for the most all time … Marcquise Reed posted his 22nd 20-point outing of his career – leaving him four shy of tying Jim Sutherland (1964-67) for 10th all-time in program history … it was also Reed’s 58th double-digit scoring game at Clemson – leaving him 12 shy of tying Larry Nance (1977-81) and Butch Zatezalo (1967-70) for 16th all time … Reed remains 27th overall on Clemson’s all-time scoring list with 1,216 career points … Elijah Thomas posted three more blocks and now has 139 for his career … he now sits alone in sixth all-time in blocks per game (1.76) … Thomas collected six more rebounds and now has 538 for his career – just 66 shy of tying Horace Wyatt (1978-82) for 25th all-time in Clemson history … Clyde Trapp notched a career-best 16 points … Trapp also made a career-high four 3-pointers … Javan White notched season-highs in points (10) and rebounds (7) … White played a season-high 16 minutes.
Post game Presser:
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