Clemson didn’t have much margin for error on Saturday, and it didn’t look pretty for long stretches, but the Tigers did what they needed to do to avoid a letdown at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Coming off a brutal buzzer-beater loss earlier in the week and playing in a midday slot right after finals wrapped up, Clemson looked flat at times against Mercer. Still, the Tigers leaned on late execution and defensive stops to pull out a 70-63 win and move to 8-3 on the season.
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Clemson opened the game with energy, jumping out to a 12-4 lead behind early threes and strong interior play from Nick Davidson. Mercer answered quickly, though, using hot shooting and Clemson turnovers to flip the game and take a lead into halftime. The Bears shot confidently from deep in the first half and forced Clemson to play from behind for much of the opening 20 minutes.
The second half told a different story. Clemson shifted its focus to attacking the rim, finishing consistently around the basket and getting to the free-throw line far more often. That approach helped the Tigers claw back, eventually regaining the lead midway through the half.
Zac Foster’s step-back three with just over four minutes left gave Clemson a lead it wouldn’t give back. From there, Dillon Hunter sealed the game at the line, finishing with a team-high 15 points.
The win marked Brad Brownell’s 300th victory as Clemson’s head coach and snapped a brief skid. The Tigers now turn their attention to a home matchup against South Carolina on Tuesday night.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson avoids upset, routes Mercer in the second half for a win
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