Clemson Falls to Virginia Tech Despite Strong Bench Play and Gritty Effort from Welling
Clemson entered Wednesday night riding high, boasting a 20-4 record and looking to keep pace atop the ACC standings. But Virginia Tech had other plans, handing the Tigers a 76-66 loss at Littlejohn Coliseum that served as a reminder of just how tough it is to win in this conference-especially when the shots aren’t falling from deep.
Let’s start with the bright spot: Carter Welling. The senior guard turned in a gutsy performance, dropping a season-high 19 points and showing serious toughness after briefly exiting with an ankle injury.
He came back into the game and kept attacking, adding a season-best three blocks to his stat line. It was Welling’s 16th game in double figures this season, and it came when Clemson needed every bit of it.
The Tigers also got a serious lift from their bench. Nick Davidson and Ace Buckner combined for 32 points off the pine, with each tallying 16.
That kind of production from the second unit is usually a recipe for success, and it kept Clemson within striking distance for much of the night. Davidson, in particular, has found his rhythm lately-this marked his fourth double-digit game in his last five outings.
Buckner, meanwhile, continues to show why he's one of the more reliable scoring options off the bench, notching his 10th game in double figures this season.
But in the end, the difference came from beyond the arc and at the free throw line-two areas where Virginia Tech simply executed better. The Hokies knocked down 11 threes, while Clemson managed just five.
That’s a 18-point swing from deep alone, and it proved too much to overcome. At the line, Clemson went 11-for-18, while Virginia Tech was a perfect 13-for-13.
In a tight, physical game, those margins matter.
Clemson made a push in the second half, cutting the deficit to five with just over eight minutes to play after Buckner buried a three. The crowd was into it, the energy was there, and the Tigers looked poised to make a run. But they couldn’t string together the stops and shot-making needed to close the gap.
With the loss, Clemson drops to 20-5 overall and 10-2 in ACC play. Still, the Tigers have been one of the most consistent teams in the league this season, going 94-35 overall and 53-19 in conference play since the start of the 2022-23 campaign. This group knows how to bounce back.
And they'll have to do it quickly. Next up is a trip to Durham to take on No.
4 Duke on Saturday-an early noon tip on ESPN. It’s a tough environment and a tougher opponent, but it’s also the kind of game that can define a season.
Clemson has shown they have the depth, the grit, and the top-end talent to hang with anyone. Now it’s about putting it all together-especially when the margin for error is razor-thin.