Clemson basketball wrapped up its nonconference slate with a win that was equal parts dominant and dicey - a 68-65 nail-biter over Cincinnati at the Greenville Winter Invitational. The Tigers built a 27-point cushion, then watched it nearly vanish before senior Dillon Hunter calmly knocked down two clutch free throws with three seconds left to seal it.
That final sequence might’ve felt like a sigh of relief, but Clemson’s first-half performance was anything but shaky. The Tigers came out swinging, jumping to a 23-3 lead midway through the opening half.
Nick Davidson’s three-pointer capped off that early surge, and Clemson took a commanding 38-18 lead into the locker room. The defense was dialed in, the offense was balanced, and it looked like the Tigers were going to cruise.
But Cincinnati had other plans. The Bearcats flipped the script in the second half, outscoring Clemson 47-30 and turning what looked like a blowout into a tense finish.
Credit to the Tigers, though - they didn’t fold. When the pressure mounted, they found just enough poise to close it out.
Balance was the name of the game for Clemson offensively. Five players finished in double figures, though none cracked more than 12 points.
Ace Buckner and Carter Welling led the way with 12 apiece, Jestin Porter chipped in 11, and the trio of Hunter, Davidson, and RJ Godfrey each added 10. That kind of distribution speaks to Clemson’s depth - and while there wasn’t a single breakout scorer, the team’s ability to get contributions across the board is something to build on heading into conference play.
With the win, Clemson finishes nonconference play at 10-3. It’s a solid mark, especially considering the Tigers also picked up a rivalry win over South Carolina earlier in the week - a 68-61 victory at Littlejohn Coliseum that gave them a 2-0 finish heading into the holidays.
Still, the national recognition hasn’t quite followed. In the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, released ahead of Christmas, Clemson remains unranked. The Tigers received just one vote for top-25 consideration - a sign that while the record is strong, the résumé still needs a bit more meat once ACC play begins.
Around the conference, there’s been plenty of movement. Duke, the ACC’s last unbeaten, took its first loss of the season in a one-point heartbreaker to Texas Tech.
That dropped the Blue Devils three spots in the poll. Meanwhile, North Carolina climbed one spot after narrowly escaping Ohio State, and Virginia also moved up a notch.
Louisville slid three spots after a second loss, continuing a downward trend.
As it stands, four ACC teams are in the top 25, with Duke still leading the pack despite the stumble. Michigan holds the top spot nationally, followed closely by Arizona and Iowa State - all unbeaten and all looking the part of early-season juggernauts.
Clemson’s next opportunity to make a statement comes on New Year’s Eve, when the Tigers open ACC play on the road against Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome. Tipoff is set for noon ET on ESPN2. With conference play now on deck, the margin for error shrinks - and so does the time to prove they belong in the national conversation.
The Tigers have shown they can hang. Now it's about consistency, composure, and converting those strong starts into complete 40-minute efforts.
Sunday's win was a reminder: this team has the pieces. Now it's time to put it all together.