Clemson's struggles on the court continued with a tough 70-65 loss to Florida State at Littlejohn Coliseum. This marks the Tigers' fourth consecutive conference defeat, bringing their record to 20-8 overall and 10-5 in the ACC. Florida State, on the other hand, has been on a roll, winning seven of their last nine games.
The spotlight was on AC Flora grad Robert McCray V, who put on a show with a season-high 29 points in his return to the state. Meanwhile, former Clemson player Chauncey Wiggins contributed seven points for the Seminoles against his old team.
Clemson's early game struggles were evident as they hit just three of their first 17 shots. However, they found their rhythm towards the end of the first half, making eight of their last 10 shots, including three key 3-pointers from Ace Buckner, to secure a 36-33 lead at halftime.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, that momentum didn't carry over into the second half. They finished the game shooting just 37.5% from the field. Despite hitting 10 3-pointers, they took a staggering 33 shots from beyond the arc.
Florida State was more efficient, shooting 50% overall and connecting on 10 of 24 from 3-point range. Buckner, who led Clemson with 15 points, struggled in the second half, managing only two points and going 1-of-6 from the field, including 0-of-4 from deep.
Looking ahead, Clemson has a week to regroup before facing No. 21 Louisville on February 28.
The Tigers will be seeking redemption after losing both matchups against the Cardinals last season. Louisville, led by standout freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr., who has been averaging an impressive 34.3 points per game, will first face Georgia Tech and North Carolina before heading to Littlejohn Coliseum.