Clemson Basketball Advances in ACC Tournament

0:00On March 12, Clemson men's basketball grabbed a solid win in the ACC tournament, beating Wake Forest 71-62 in Charlotte. The fifth-seated Tigers dominated the first half and held off a late push to advance to the quarterfinals. Now they face fourth-seated North Carolina on Thursday at 9.30pm on ESPN at Spectrum Center. The Tigers built an 18-point halftime lead, shooting 50% from the field and the floor from three-point range. Wake Forest bounced back in the second half with hot shooting, cutting the gap to 10 points late. Clemson's bench stepped up big with 34 points, using fresh substitutions to keep the pressure on. Players like freshman Chase Thompson praised the energy from the bench, which helped maintain control. Senior RJ Godfrey struggled at the free throw line, but guard Ace Buckner sealed it with a key layup and strong defense down the stretch. Forward Carter welling left early with a knee injury and didn't return. Clemson sits at 23 wins at nine losses after stumbling late in the regular season.

1:03They lost to UNC by four points just over a week ago in Chapel Hill, and odds-makers have the tar heels as one and a half point favorites this time. Both teams bring momentum into this rematch, with Clemson aiming to snap a long tournament drought, and prove they're back among the ACC's best.