Clemson Basketball: Tigers Prevail Over Richmond

The Clemson Tigers won in their first “semi-home” game of the season at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC and they did it in convincing fashion with a 85-57 win over the Richmond Spiders.

For the Tigers, it was all about the start.

Five minutes into the contest, Clemson looked to be in full control as they started on a 13-3 run. Chase Hunter knocked down two triples in that span, and PJ Hall chipped in with a made 3-pointer. The Tigers were on a mission early, active on defense and hitting their open jump shots. They quickly got the bad taste out of their mouth after the horrendous showing against Loyola Chicago.

In the latter stages of the first half, Hunter Tyson began to find his groove, getting to his spot around the rim and finding wrinkles in the Spiders’ defense. 13 of his 16 points came in the first 20 minutes of play.

Chase Hunter asserted his aggressive style of play perfectly in Clemson’s game plan. His presence as an offensive initiator allowed Clemson to find the lead early in the game. Hunter ended the night with a team-high 18 points and added three assists..

Brevin Galloway also wasn’t going to be denied in the first half. With 9:52 on the clock, PJ Hall found Galloway for a 3-pointer that helped him eclipse the 1,000 career point mark.

Clemson outscored Richmond 43-19 in the first half, going 7-for-14 from beyond the arc.

The Tiger bench finally clicked Saturday night. Clemson finished the contest with 30 points off the bench, their highest total of the season. Galloway led the way with 10, while Middlebrooks added eight.

Hunter Tyson and PJ Hall continued their dominance on the glass. Both claimed eight rebounds each. This was the type of rebounding performance Clemson needs every night from Hall. He had a nose for the offensive glass with four rebounds on that end of the floor. Tyson continues to rebound at a high clip, now averaging 9.1 boards a game — a significant increase from last season.

Clemson wraps up its non-conference schedule with a win and improves to 9-3 on the season. The Tigers’ next test will be an ACC road matchup at Georgia Tech. Clemson will need to play much better than its last trip to Atlanta a week ago.