Tigers Stifle Cavaliers For ACC Road Win

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Clemson’s defense held Virginia (7-5, 1-1 ACC) to just one field goal over a 16-minute stretch in the second half to pull away late for a 67-50 road conference win on Wednesday night at John Paul Jones Arena. Hunter Tyson continued his strong play for the Tigers (9-4, 1-1 ACC), putting up 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting.

David Collins (11 points, 11 rebounds) and P.J. Hall (11 points) also scored in double-figures, while Naz Bohannon and Al-Amir Dawes each scored eight. Clemson knocked down eight three-pointers, and outrebounded the Cavaliers, 35-26. Virginia attempted just 41 field goals, shooting 36.6 percent on the night. 

Clemson surrendered just seven turnovers on the night, while capitalizing on 14 Virginia turnovers to the tune of 24 points. In the process, Clemson snapped an 11-game losing skid to the Cavaliers, and won in Charlottesville for the first time since 2008. 

The teams traded buckets for much of the early going before three consecutive buckets from Bohannon opened up a five-point lead for the Tigers with 7:06 to play in the first half. Back-to-back field goals from PJ Hall extended the lead to 31-21, and the Tigers went into the break with a 35-27 advantage. 

Virginia made a quick 7-0 run in the first three minutes of the second half to pull within two at 37-35 on a Kihei Clark three-pointer with 17:34 to play. The Cavaliers would not register another field goal until the 6:31 mark, an 11:03 field goal drought. During that time, Clemson went on an 19-5 run, during which six different Tigers registered field goals. 

Tyson extended the lead to 17 with 4:46 to play, and Clemson would cruise to the 17-point win. 

The Tigers, winners of four in a row, will now break before returning to action against No. 2 Duke on Dec. 29 in Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson and UVa will match up again on Jan. 4 in Littlejohn Coliseum.