Field Level Media
Dec 16, 2023
David Jones scored 16 of his 22 points after halftime as host Memphis knocked No. 13 Clemson from the ranks of the unbeaten by holding on for a 79-77 victory Saturday afternoon.
Jahvon Quinerly scored 17 points as Memphis (8-2) erased a seven-point halftime deficit and overcame missing 22 of 26 3-point tries. Nick Jourdain added 11 and Jaykwon Walton chipped in 10 as Memphis shot 43.3 percent from the floor.
PJ Hall scored 21 for Clemson (9-1) but missed a potential tying 3 in the final seconds. Chauncey Wiggins added a career-high 19 as Clemson was denied its first 10-0 start since winning the first 16 games in 2008-09.
Chase Hunter contributed 13 and Ian Schieffelin finished with 11 and 11 boards as Clemson shot 49.2 percent.
Clemson made its first four shots to get an early 11-2 lead and Memphis answered right back, countering with a 17-5 run for a 19-16 lead on a jumper by Walton with 12:19 left. After Memphis took a 23-20 lead, Clemson ripped off a 15-2 run for a 35-25 lead on Wiggins' triple before taking a 39-32 lead at halftime.
Memphis regained the lead by scoring the first eight points of the second half and took a 40-39 edge on two free throws by Mills with 16:53 left. Consecutive hoops by Jourdain gave Memphis a 45-40 lead.
Clemson rallied back for a 59-52 lead, but Memphis took a 62-61 lead on a basket by Young.
Memphis held a 72-68 lead on a dunk by Malcolm Dandridge with 3:31 left. Clemson was within 73-72 after Hall blocked Jones' dunk attempt and Dillon Hunter hit a layup with 92 seconds left.
Quinerly's basket and two free throws by Jones made it 77-72 but Memphis struggled in the final 39 seconds. After Jones missed two free throws with 28 seconds left, Chase Hunter sank two free throws to make it a one-point game.
Two free throws by Walton made it 79-76 with 13 seconds left and Hall saw his 3-point try go off the top of the backboard and out of bounds with six seconds left. The game ended after Hunter split a pair at the line with one second left.
--Field Level Media