For 20 minutes, Clemson (7-3) regarded each bit the large slayer. The Tigers bullied No. 10 BYU (8-1) on the boards, locked down defensively, and sprinted to the locker room with the boldness of a workforce that needed the sport extra and was executing at a deadly tempo. But what adopted was a collapse that may sting for fairly a while, a 67–64 loss capped by a buzzer-beating three from BYU’s Robert Wright III in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night time.
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First-Half Dominance
Clemson got here out of the locker room with some extent to show. The Tigers have regarded each little bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde basketball workforce in the 2025-26 season. Earlier in the season, Clemson had fallen behind by double digits towards Georgetown, West Virginia, and simply final week nearly managed to dig out of a 19-point gap in their final outing towards #12 Alabama earlier than mounting a raging comeback that ended falling brief, a impartial web site recreation in New York City can be the proper place to place the doubters to mattress about what the actual identification of the workforce was.
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After a gap 8 minutes of backwards and forwards basketball ensuing in a 22-22 impasse, Clemson’s opened up a masterclass in physicality and execution. The Tigers closed the half with a relentless surge, sparked by a barrage of Jestin Porter’s deep three’s and punctuated by Butta Johnson rejection on the rim. Porter poured in 14 first-half factors with 2 of his 4 first half three’s coming off second probability alternatives supplied by RJ Godfrey. Defense and rebounding sealed the primary half dominance for the Tigers as BYU failed to attain in the ultimate 11 minutes of the half, taking pictures simply 28% total. Clemson pressured three turnovers in the course of the run and managed tempo. Clemson owned the glass, grabbing 24 rebounds (together with 9 offensive) in comparison with BYU’s 15. RJ Godfrey led with 4 boards, three on the offensive finish. Clemson managed to carry BYU Freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa to solely 6 factors taking a 43-22 level lead into the locker room. with heads held excessive.
Second-Half Collapse
The recreation flipped instantly because the groups stepped on the ground for the twond half. After taking pictures 45% from the sphere and 35% from three level vary, The Tigers shot simply 25.9% in the second half, endured two scoring droughts of four-plus minutes, and dedicated eight turnovers. BYU managed to chop the result in single digits and a weird delay adopted because the Madison Square Garden officers needed to cease the sport to degree the backboard on BYU’s web after a thunderous slam by Keba Keita.
After scoring solely 6 first half factors on 2-of-7 taking pictures, AJ Dybantsa completely took over the second half. The freshman phenom scored 22 of his 28 factors after halftime, regardless of strong protection by Butta Johnson all through the sport. In reality, Dybantsa was answerable for both scoring or helping on 30 of BYU’s 45 second half factors with a mid-range jumper that simply couldn’t be stopped regardless of everybody in the sector understanding it was coming.
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After a monstrous one handed dunk from Dybantsa over two Clemson defenders put BYU up 62-56 with one minute to play, Dylan Hunter managed to tie the sport with a driving layup with 5 seconds remaining. After a BYU timeout, Robert White would redeem himself after lacking an important free throw early by by splitting a pair of defenders and hitting a working 3 to provide the Cougar’s their largest second-half comeback in program historical past, and leaving Clemson with extra questions than solutions concerning the identification of their squad.
By the Numbers
Porter led the tigers in scoring with 17 on the night time and 5 3-pointers, While RJ Godfrey was the one different Tiger in double figures with 13-points. The Tigers shot 36% from the sphere on the night and 31% from past the arc. BYU was lead by Dybantsa with 28 factors on 9-of-17 taking pictures whereas making 9 of his 10 free throws. He additionally pulled down 9 rebound and dished out 6 assists on the night. After a lopsided first half, Clemson solely managed to outrebound BYU on the night by a margin of two (38-36). Clemson turned the ball over 12 occasions (7 in the second half) to BYU’s 9.
What’s Next
The Tigers (7-3) will return residence to face Mercer on Saturday, aiming to regroup earlier than ACC play. Be positive to hold forth in the feedback beneath about what went incorrect, and the way the Tigers can flip the ship round in the hurry with convention play rapidly approaching.
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While this loss stings, some issues are about greater than basketball. In tonight’s recreation Clemson had the distinction of collaborating in the Jimmy V Classic which brings consciousness to one of many nations main killers, most cancers. Cancer has touched nearly all of us at someday in our lives, together with myself with my Father, Grandparents and Aunt all battling the illness. The Jimmy V Foundation has donated $458 million {dollars} to most cancers analysis because it’s inception in 1993 and all funds go on to most cancers analysis. If you have an interest in donating, please observe the official hyperlink V.org/donate and take into account making your donation at present. Please be aware that that is not a sponsored hyperlink from Shakin the Southland.