This article was written by AARON BEARD, a writer for AP Basketball.

In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Brad Brownell repeatedly reassured his Clemson team that they were capable of achieving better results than what they had displayed thus far, especially considering their chances of making it to the NCAA Tournament were uncertain.

Defeating North Carolina, ranked No. 3, on the road for just the second time in the team’s history strongly emphasizes the message.

PJ Hall had 25 points along with the go-ahead putback with 3:14 left as the Tigers stunned the Tar Heels 80-76 on Tuesday night, earning a marquee win despite blowing a 16-point lead.

Brownell stated that they were able to maintain their position, and also mentioned that their team was able to complete the task, which was satisfying to witness.

Joseph Girard III scored 21 points for the Tigers (15-7, 5-6 ACC), with a crucial 3-pointer at the 2:09 mark after Hall’s basket. The Tigers were in the lead throughout the game but had to work hard until the final moments to secure the victory against the Tar Heels (18-5, 10-2), who had just come off a big win against rival No. 9 Duke three days prior.

In 2020, Clemson finally broke their losing streak in Chapel Hill by winning in overtime. Since then, they have won two out of three games played there. This win follows a string of close losses, including a 72-71 defeat at Duke where they were just one second away from their first victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium since 1995.

Hall encouraged his team to continue playing and have faith in themselves and their abilities. He also reminded them that their teammates are equally determined to win.

After the game ended, Ian Schieffelin (14 points, 11 rebounds) and other Tigers players said goodbye to the UNC crowd and skipped into the tunnel.

Armando Bacot scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading UNC to victory. RJ Davis also contributed 22 points. However, the Tar Heels struggled with a 36.9% shooting percentage and only made 9 of 27 3-pointers, making for a disappointing performance after defeating the Blue Devils.

The final result was appropriate, as the Tigers dominated the game from the beginning. They made their first five shots and quickly gained a 15-2 advantage after Hall’s successful 3-pointer, causing UNC coach Hubert Davis to call a timeout after less than 3 and a half minutes.

Hubert Davis remarked that the team needed to increase their energy, effort, and enthusiasm before discussing any basketball strategies, as it’s not just about Xs and Os.

BIG PICTURE

The recent Clemson game was a significant chance for the team. According to KenPom rankings, they were placed at No. 39 and were at 37th in the NET rankings. The Tigers had a record of 3-4 in Quadrant 1 games, which are crucial for a strong postseason resume. One of their victories was against No. 16 Alabama in November. This win was crucial, especially since they only have one more opportunity in Quadrant 1 (against Wake Forest on March 9). It also marked their first road victory against a top-5 opponent since February 1977 when they beat No. 4 Wake Forest with a score of 70-66.

UNC: The Tar Heels didn’t have top reserve Seth Trimble due to an upper-body injury, and the most of the regulars struggled offensively. Davis needed 22 shots to get his output and banked in a meaningless 3-pointer on UNC’s final possession, while fellow starter Cormac Ryan managed two points on 1-for-10 shooting.

UP NEXT

The Clemson Tigers will be traveling to Syracuse for a game this upcoming Saturday.

The University of North Carolina’s basketball team, the Tar Heels, will travel to Miami on Saturday for their next game.

Source: wralsportsfan.com