How It Happened: Clemson Rolls Past Pittsburgh to Continue ACC Dominance

Here’s how the No. 22 Clemson Tigers handled business on Saturday afternoon against Pitt

Clemson got the job done against an ACC opponent | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In search of their 14th straight victory at Littlejohn Coliseum, the No. 22 Clemson Tigers (18-4, 8-1 ACC) returned home for a noon tip-off with the Pittsburgh Panthers (9-13, 2-7 ACC). The Tigers made easy work of the struggling Panthers in a 63-52 victory.

First Half

After winning the opening tip, Carter Welling notched the game’s first points with a hook shot on Clemson’s first possession.

From there, both teams got off to a cold start offensively. Over the first 4:27 of game time, the teams connected on just 2 of their first 9 field goal attempts.

Clemson built a seven-point lead with 7:43 left in the half, fueled in part by senior Dillon Hunter’s block of a Panther layup attempt. The highlight was a key moment during Clemson’s 20-5 run to end the half.

Pitt’s offense struggled mightily all half long, posting a season-low in points scored (16). The Panthers had as many turnovers (6) as made field goals (6) before halftime.

Another theme of the first half was foul trouble in Clemson’s frontcourt. Though Carter Welling nailed two of his first three shots from the field, a pair of quick fouls forced Brad Brownell to look elsewhere at the center spot. Nick Davidson committed two fouls of his own later in the half, and RJ Godfrey picked up another.

Second Half

Clemson held a commanding 33-16 advantage at the half, but Pitt came out swinging in the second half. The Panthers outscored the Tigers 12-4, cutting the lead down to single digits within a matter of minutes.

Clemson responded with a 19-14 run of its own, gradually earning a double-digit lead that stood until the final buzzer.

Though the team’s offense never truly caught fire, the Tigers maintained a steady effort throughout the second half. Carter Welling chipped in 8 points after the break to pace Brownell’s team.

Pitt standout guard Brandin Cummings was held to just 2 points on three field goal attempts in the game. Cummings entered averaging a team-high 13.1 points per game, but never heated up against a tenacious Clemson defensive effort.

Looking Ahead

The Tigers hit the road for a two-game road trip in California this coming week. Clemson and Stanford do battle on Wednesday, Feb. 4, for a 10:00 p.m. tip-off at Maples Pavilion. Just three days later, the Tigers take on the California Golden Bears in Berkeley. Clemson won the only all-time meeting with Stanford, and is 2-1 against California in program history.