Hall, Clemson take down No. 3 North Carolina 80-76 on the road to bolster NCAA resume

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — PJ Hall had 25 points along with the go-ahead putback with 3:14 left as Clemson survived a blown 16-point lead to stun No. 3 North Carolina 80-76 on Tuesday night, earning a marquee win for a team battling to improve its NCAA Tournament chances.

Joseph Girard III added 21 points for the Tigers (15-7, 5-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), including a huge 3-pointer at the 2:09 mark to follow Hall’s basket. That was part of a 7-0 spurt that provided just enough as the Tigers never trailed yet had to fight to the final seconds to secure the win against the Tar Heels (18-5, 10-2), who were coming off an emotional rivalry win against No. 9 Duke three days earlier.

Clemson lost its first 59 games in Chapel Hill before breaking through in 2020 for an overtime win. Now the Tigers have won two of three trips here since, fueled by Hall’s strong showing after struggling in last month’s home loss (10 points on 4-for-13 shooting).

Hall hit two free throws with 4.6 seconds left, sealing a win that had Ian Schieffelin (14 points, 11 rebounds) joining several Tigers players waving goodbye to the UNC crowd while skipping their way to the tunnel after the horn.

Armando Bacot had 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead UNC, while RJ Davis added 22. But the Tar Heels shot just 36.9% and made 9 of 27 3-pointers.

It was a fitting outcome, considering how the Tigers carried the action from the opening sequences. The Tigers hit their first five shots and rolled to a 15-2 lead on Hall’s 3-pointer that had UNC coach Hubert Davis burning a timeout less than 3½ minutes into the game.

The Tigers kept that margin at double figures for much of the first half, pushing to their biggest lead at 41-25 on Jack Clark’s layup with 2:31 left before the break.

Clemson forward Jack Clark, right, grabs a rebound next to North Carolina forward Armando Bacot (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward

The Tar Heels gradually climbed back in it, repeatedly getting within one and two possessions. Harrison Ingram came through with a contested corner 3-pointer at the 4:17 mark to tie the game at 70, but the Tar Heels never could overtake the Tigers.

BIG PICTURE

Clemson: This game represented a major opportunity for the Tigers when it comes to improving its footing for the NCAA Tournament. Ranked No. 39 by KenPom and sitting at 37th in the NET, the Tigers were 3-4 in Quadrant 1 games that top a postseason resume, including against No. 16 Alabama in November. But there were only two Q1 opportunities left on the schedule with this game and a trip to Wake Forest on March 9.

UNC: The Tar Heels didn’t have top reserve Seth Trimble due to an upper-body injury, and the most of the regulars outside of Bacot 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.

North Carolina forward Armando Bacot (5) shoots over Clemson center PJ Hall during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward

UP NEXT

Clemson: The Tigers visit Syracuse on Saturday.

UNC: The Tar Heels visit Miami on Saturday.