Clemson cools off Virginia Tech 63-59 in ACC season finale

Mar 5, 2022, 09:46 pm

CLEMSON, S.C. -- — PJ Hall scored 12 points and Alex Hemenway added 11 to lead a balanced offense as Clemson defeated Virginia Tech 63-59 in an ACC regular-season finale on Saturday.

David Collins and Al-Amir Dawes scored 10 points each for Clemson (16-15, 8-12 ACC).

The Hokies came into the game with a four-game road winning streak and victories in nine of their last 10 ACC games overall. The Hokies were doomed by a poor finish in which they made one of their last 11 shots, which included misses in their last seven in a row. Virginia Tech made only eight field goals in the second half and was 2 of 13 from 3-point distance after halftime.

Clemson led for nearly all of the final 11 1/2 minutes but never by more than six. A jumper by Hunter Tyson gave Clemson a 62-59 lead with 32 seconds remaining. Nahiem Alleyne missed two 3-pointers on the Hokies' next possession and Virginia Tech was forced to foul. It took three fouls to put Clemson in the bonus and with eight seconds remaining Chase Hunter made the front end of his one-and-one for the final score.

Alleyne had 17 points, which included 5 of 10 3-pointers, to lead Virginia Tech (19-12, 11-9). Justyn Mutts had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Hokies, who will be the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament.

Clemson finished 10th.

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