ATLANTA — With a 65-42 victorious margin over Georgia Tech, it marked the fewest points allowed in back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference games in Clemson University men’s basketball history (79 points).
The Tigers (14-8, 4-5 ACC) dominated the Yellow Jackets (11-12, 3-7 ACC) from the opening tip in the dominating 23-point victory. It marked the Tigers’ third-straight league victory and the first three-game win streak with each victory by double-digits since the 1974-75 season.
The 23-point win was the fifth-largest margin of victory in an ACC game in Clemson history.
Marcquise Reed led the way offensively with 19 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the floor. Elijah Thomas picked up where he left off on the defensive side of things with five more blocks – giving him 12 over the last two outings.
David Skara and Aamir Simms both posted 13-point performances in the Tiger victory.
Clemson led by nine at the break but broke out with a hot-shooting second-half by posting a 62.5 percent clip from the floor (15-for-24) in the second stanza.
The Yellow Jackets cut the Tiger lead to just eight at 41-33 with 12:10 remaining in the game. Immediately following a Clemson timeout, the Tigers imposed their will and executed a 17-5 run over the next nearly nine minutes to put the game out of reach.
Clemson will return to the floor on Saturday, Feb. 9 when it hosts No. 11 Virginia Tech from Littlejohn Coliseum. Tipoff is slated for 12 p.m.
Notes: Clemson won its third league game in a row … it marked the first time that Clemson has won three-straight ACC games by double digits since the 1974-75 season … the 23-point victory margin was the fifth-largest in an ACC game in Clemson history … combined with allowing just 37 points to Wake Forest on Feb. 3, after allowing 42 to Georgia Tech, it marks the fewest points allowed in back-to-back league games in Clemson history … Clemson has now won seven games in a row in the series with Georgia Tech and earned the program’s 26th road victory at Georgia Tech … in three of the last four halves of basketball the Tigers have held its opponent to 20 points or less … Brad Brownell improves to 16-4 overall against Georgia Tech … the win was the 163rd career victory for Brownell at Clemson – leaving him just 14 shy of tying Cliff Ellis for the most all-time … the win signified the 44th time Clemson has held its opponent to 50 points or less under Brownell and the second time in as many games … the Tigers are 42-2 in those contests, including having won their last 23 in a row … Elijah Thomas swatted five more shots against Georgia Tech – giving him 12 blocks in the last two games and 151 (10th all time) for his Clemson career … he is averaging 1.86 blocks per game in his Clemson career – tying him with Trevor Booker (2006-10) for fifth all-time in program history … Thomas corralled six more rebounds to give him 544 for his Clemson career – leaving him 60 rebounds shy of tying Horace Wyatt (1978-82) for 25th on Clemson’s all-time list … Marcquise Reed turned in his 59th career double-digit scoring game at Clemson – leaving him 11 shy of tying Larry Nance (1977-80) and Butch Zatezalo (1976-70) for 16th all-time … with his 19-point effort, Reed now has 1,244 points in his Clemson career – good for 22nd all-time in program history … Reed came away with three steals against Georgia Tech and is now tied for 15th all-time in program history with Bobby Conrad (1976-80) with 141 career steals … his 1.62 steals per game in
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