Clemson’s Chase Hunter put on a show Saturday, scoring 25 points, including five of Clemson’s 13 made 3-pointers, to lead the Tigers to a convincing 77-57 victory over Florida State in ACC action. The Tigers (13-4, 5-1 ACC) bounced back strongly after a disappointing loss to Louisville earlier in the week and solidified their spot near the top of the conference standings, just one game behind undefeated Duke (6-0 ACC).
Clemson surged out of halftime with a 13-2 run, fueled by perfect shooting in the first four minutes of the second half. The Tigers stretched a seven-point halftime lead to 18, taking firm control of the game at 49-31. Florida State (11-5, 2-3 ACC) made a brief push midway through the second half, cutting the deficit to 11 points after a layup and a 3-pointer from Jerry Deng and two free throws by Malique Ewin. However, Clemson quickly reasserted itself, holding the Seminoles to just two points over a four-minute span to rebuild the 18-point cushion.
The Tigers clamped down defensively in the final seven minutes, allowing only eight points as they cruised to victory. Jaeden Zackery contributed 15 points, while Chauncey Wiggins added 12 for Clemson, which shot 48% from the field and connected on 13 of 28 3-point attempts.
Hunter’s performance was key, especially in the first half when he and Zackery combined for 20 points to give Clemson a 36-29 lead at the break. The Tigers came out firing from deep, making 7 of their first 10 3-point attempts and finishing 7 of 15 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.
Florida State struggled to keep up with Clemson’s offensive firepower, shooting 43% from the field and hitting just 4 of 16 from 3-point range. Ewin led the Seminoles with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Deng and Jamir Watkins each added 11 points.
The loss highlighted Florida State’s inconsistency, as the Seminoles were unable to sustain their second-half push or find answers defensively.
Clemson will look to maintain its momentum on Tuesday when it travels to Georgia Tech, while Florida State will aim to bounce back as it hosts Pitt on Wednesday.