Clemson used a blistering first-half shooting performance and balanced scoring to defeat Wake Forest Demon Deacons 71–62 on Wednesday night in the second round of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, punching its ticket to the quarterfinals.
The fifth-seeded Clemson Tigers (23–9) built a commanding early lead behind a barrage of 3-pointers and held off a late rally from the 13th-seeded Demon Deacons (17–16) to advance.
Forward RJ Godfrey led Clemson with 11 points and eight rebounds, the only Tiger to reach double figures in a game defined more by depth than individual scoring.
Clemson wasted little time asserting control, launching 13 shots from beyond the arc in the first 12 minutes and converting seven of them to jump out to a 29–18 advantage. The Tigers finished the opening half 9-for-18 from 3-point range, stretching their lead to 41–23 by halftime.
Much of the early offensive damage came from Clemson’s bench, which knocked down five of its six 3-point attempts during the surge.
In a rarity for a college game, the first half featured only two free-throw attempts—both missed by Clemson center Nick Davidson with 5:42 remaining before the break.
Clemson appeared poised to cruise when it extended the margin to 52–32 roughly six and a half minutes into the second half. But Wake Forest guard Nate Calmese sparked a quick comeback.
Calmese scored nine consecutive points—connecting on a 3-pointer, drawing a foul on another attempt to earn a three-shot trip to the line, and drilling another 3—to cut into the Tigers’ lead.
The Demon Deacons later trimmed the deficit to eight points while Clemson endured a cold stretch, missing nine straight field-goal attempts. During that span, Godfrey missed the front end of three consecutive one-and-one opportunities at the free-throw line, giving Wake Forest additional chances to climb back.
Just as momentum began to shift, Clemson guard Ace Buckner halted the scoring drought with a driving layup. From there, the Tigers steadied themselves at the line, converting six free throws in the final 64 seconds to secure the victory.
Wake Forest was paced by guard Juke Harris, who scored 22 points. The performance marked his 33rd consecutive game in double figures, extending his school record.
Calmese added 20 points, while forward Tre’Von Spillers recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Demon Deacons.
Clemson’s depth proved critical. Ten Tigers logged at least 10 minutes, and all 10 players scored at least three points, highlighting the balanced approach that helped Clemson withstand Wake Forest’s second-half push.
With the win, Clemson advances to face the fourth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday.
The Tigers will look to carry their early shooting rhythm and deep rotation into what promises to be a much tougher matchup as the tournament moves deeper into championship weekend.
