Tigers Clip Eagles in Season Opener, 78-56
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CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson University men’s basketball dominated Winthrop in the season opener on Monday night, 78-56, in Littlejohn Coliseum.
The Tigers (1-0) were led by PJ Hall (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) who finished with 20 points and five rebounds. It was his 12th-straight double-figure scoring game of the season and he finished 8-for-15 from the floor with two assists, a block and a steal.
Ian Schieffelin (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) was a monster from the beginning of the opening stanza. Schieffelin finished with 16 points and a team-best seven rebounds. RJ Godfrey (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett) gave the Tigers a huge spark off the bench with 12 points and five boards. The 12 points marked a career high for Godfrey.
Alex Hemenway (Newburgh, Indiana/Castle) and Jack Clark (Cheltenham, Pa./Cheltenham) joined in Clemson’s 27 points off the bench with nine and six, respectively. They combined for five threes.
Clemson led by just nine at the break, 33-24, and exploded for 45 second half points to come away with the 22-point victory.
Chauncey Wiggins (Grayson, Ga./Grayson) needed just one half to set a career mark with rebounds and finished with six on the night.
The Tigers committed just two turnovers in the second half and finished the game with 21 assists. Clemson totaled 20+ assists five times last season.
Clemson returns to action on Friday, Nov. 10 when it plays UAB as part of the 2023 Asheville Championship. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
Notes: Clemson moved to 1-0 on the season … Clemson won its 10th game against Winthrop all-time and moved to 10-2 against the Eagles … Clemson won its 13th season opener in 14 seasons under Head Coach Brad Brownell and the 38th of the last 39 dating back to 1985–86 … Clemson won its 80th game in 99 tries wearing its home white uniform that debuted in 2017-18 (80-19) … Clemson finished 13-for-32 from three (40.6 percent) and moved to 94-26 under Brownell when they shoot 40.0 percent or better from three … they are 260-99 all-time (dates to 1986-87) … PJ Hall secured his first 20-point game of the season and his 12th-straight double-digit output in a row dating back to 2022-23 … Hall’s 20 points vaulted him into 40th place on the all-time scoring list (1,063 points) … RJ Godfrey set a new career high with 12 points … Chauncey Wiggins set a new career high with six rebounds.