Field Level Media
Jan 5, 2021
Nick Honor scored a season-high 21 points as No. 19 Clemson held off visiting North Carolina State 74-70 in overtime Tuesday night in an Atlantic Coast Conference contest.
Clemson improved to 9-1 overall and 3-1 in league play and is 5-0 at Littlejohn Coliseum this season.
N.C. State fell to 6-2, 2-1 in losing for a fourth consecutive time at Littlejohn.
Honor made 8-of-11 shots from the floor, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range en route to his 21 points in his best outing since transferring from Fordham and becoming eligible this season.
Honor tied the game at 62 with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 38 seconds left in regulation that sent the game into overtime.
Clemson's Aamir Simms, who scored only four points in regulation, scored on consecutive hook shots to give the Tigers a 70-67 lead in overtime that they never relinquished. NC State closed within two points at 72-70 with 41 seconds left in the extra period, but Clemson freshman P.J. Hall scored inside with 11 seconds left to seal the victory.
Clemson made 6-of-7 shots in overtime while the Wolfpack made 2-of-4 and turned the ball over twice.
Clyde Trapp added 11 points for the Tigers while Simms finished with eight points.
D.J. Funderburk scored 20 points to lead the Wolfpack, including a 9-of-9 effort from the free-throw line. Devon Daniels added 18.
Clemson and NC State were tied at 20 midway through the first half before the Wolfpack began to create some room behind Daniels and Jericole Hellems, who had 10 and eight points respectively in the first half. N.C. State pulled away to a 39-32 lead at the break.
Clemson has trailed at the half in each of its four ACC games this season. The Wolfpack shot 55.6 percent in the opening half, including 60 percent from 3-point range.
The Tigers pulled within one point on two occasions early in the second half, but the Wolfpack managed to keep them at bay until Trapp's first basket in overtime gave Clemson a lead for the first time since it led 8-7 a few minutes in.
--Field Level Media