Clemson University men’s basketball won just its second-ever road contest over a non-conference top 25 team in program history, upending No. 23 Alabama 85-77 inside Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday night.
The Tigers (6-0) ended the Crimson Tide’s 19-game home winning streak and it’s 18-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. It’s the Tigers’ first 6-0 start since they began the 2008-09 season 16-0.
Clemson was led by PJ Hall (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) who finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. Joseph Girard III (Glens Falls, N.Y./Glens Falls) totaled 16 points and knocked in four 3-pointers.
Ian Schieffelin (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) tied his career-high with 14 rebounds and nearly totaled his second career double-double, finishing with nine points. Chase Hunter (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.
Clemson got four-straight points from Josh Beadle (Columbia, S.C./Cardinal Newman) to finish the first half and lead 33-32 going into the break.
The Tigers trailed 53-46 with 12:52 remaining in regulation. Clemson engineered a 13-0 run to take a 59-53 lead in just under three minutes.
Clemson sustained and held off Alabama the rest of the way to hold onto the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge victory.