For two weeks, it looked like the Clemson basketball team’s playoff hopes were slipping through their fingers.
Four straight losses and a string of cold shots have put the Tigers on the bubble. On Saturday afternoon, though, they responded the way a championship team should.
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Clemson beat No. 24 Louisville 80-75 on Justin Porter’s 16 points to move to four games that could have a major impact in March.
Porter was very sharp from the outside, making 4 of 8 three-pointers. His biggest shot came in the second half. With 8:40 left in the game, Clemson pushed the ball to the floor for a layup to make it 60-49. Clemson broke through on an inbounds pass from Louisville. Nick Davidson controlled the loose ball and quickly found Porter on the wing, where he drained a three-pointer to extend the lead. Porter hit another 3-pointer with 5:43 left and Ace Buckner added a 3-pointer to help build a 14-point cushion.
Clemson’s defense also looks more like itself.
Louisville entered the game averaging 86 points per game, but the Tigers disrupted that rhythm early. They forced four turnovers in the first nine minutes and turned that energy into offense. Clemson shot 70 percent from the field early in that stretch, setting the tone for a raucous home crowd.
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RJ Godfrey had 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Buckner came off the bench to score 11 points. In all, nine Tigers scored at least four points and five Tigers scored seven or more. Clemson dished out 12 assists, showing off the balance the team has lost during its decline.
The Tigers improve to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in ACC play. They’re now 4-5 in Quad 1 games and 10-7 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games combined, numbers like that likely put them on the right side of the bubble with two regular-season games left and the ACC Tournament still in front.
Louisville still leads the entire series with an 11-7 record, including an undefeated homestand. But at Littlejohn Stadium, Clemson took control of the game, outscoring the Cardinals 7-1 on their own court.
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Next up, the Tigers travel to Chapel Hill to take on No. 18 North Carolina on Tuesday night.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson basketball beats Louisville, ends losing streak