NC State Upsets No. 18 Clemson In a Nail-Biting 80-76 Overtime Finish
In an exciting Tuesday night game between two ACC rivals, the NC State Wolfpack upset the 18th-ranked Clemson Tigers in a close overtime finish on the road to end the Tigers’ undefeated start in ACC play.
NC State Uses Impressive Free-Throw Shooting To Pull Out a Win
Despite the final score being relatively high, both teams’ offenses offered very little in terms of excitement in this game, as NC State’s great free-throw shooting was the deciding factor in the win. The Wolfpack made 22 of 25 free throws at a highly efficient clip of 88%, which sealed the road upset for NC State. The Wolfpack outshot the Tigers at the line by 7 points, while Clemson was only able to muster 63% on free throws in the game.
Although the game ended up being a free-throw contest, there were some great performances put on by a few NC State players in the game. Senior Forward Ven-Allen Lubin was the star of the game for the Wolfpack, as he finished with a game-high 22 points on an efficient 9-12 shooting from the field.
Senior Guard Quadir Copeland also provided a great secondary punch, as he dropped a solid stat line of 16 points and 6 assists to help NC State’s offense stay on point in a tough road environment.
The only two areas the Wolfpack struggled with in the win were their lack of bench scoring and rebounding. NC State’s bench was thoroughly outscored by Clemson’s second unit 25-9, while also being outrebounded 38-30 in a poor showing in both departments. The one other area the Wolfpack excelled in, outside of free-throw shooting, was in their ability to score off turnovers, as they made the Tigers pay for their mistakes on offense with 19 points off turnovers.
Clemson’s Starters Struggle To Provide Much Offensive Production
It was a rather quiet night from the Tigers’ starting five outside of two players, as Clemson was unable to find a consistent rhythm on offense. Much of the offensive woes for the Tigers manifested from their inability to generate much action with their passing. Clemson finished with only 9 assists for the game while turning the ball over 13 times in an overall sloppy night.
The Tigers almost had a chance to win the game thanks to the efforts of Carter Welling and RJ Godfrey. They finished with 14 points and 16 points apiece while also attacking the glass to grab 9 rebounds and 7 rebounds, respectively. It was a massive struggle for other players like Jestin Porter, who could not break past the Wolfpack’s zone defense. Porter would only manage to score 9 points on a tough 3-13 shooting from the field in the loss.
Clemson’s Undefeated Start To ACC Play Comes To An End
After being tied with No. 5 Duke for first place in the ACC through the first 6 games, the Tigers now sit a half-game back of the Blue Devils following the loss tonight. For NC State, this win makes up significant ground for them in the ACC standings, as they move into a tie for the fifth-place spot with the Miami Hurricanes, with both teams sitting at 4-2.
The win also puts the Wolfpack within striking distance of both Clemson and Duke, with only two games being the difference between the three teams for the top spot in the ACC.
What’s Next For Both Teams
It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Wolfpack following tonight’s win, as they’ll go on the road for the fourth time in five games to face off against Pitt on Saturday. For the Tigers, they’ll have a chance to lick their wounds and get back in the win column as they head on the road to go up against rival Georgia Tech on Saturday.
