Field Level Media
Mar 9, 2019
Marcquise Reed scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds as Clemson knocked off Syracuse 67-55 Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Clemson's Littlejohn Coliseum.
Reed, who made just 2 of 8 shots in the first half, scored 20 points, grabbed five rebounds and matched his career high with five steals - all in the second half.
The graduate guard's second-half heroics helped Clemson win for the fourth time in five games and boosted the Tigers' record to 19-12 overall and 9-9 in the ACC. Clemson already is locked into the 8 vs. 9 game and will play N.C. State in the ACC Tournament's second round on Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C.
Syracuse, which closed the regular season by losing four of five, fell to 19-12, 10-8.
Syracuse never trailed in the first half, taking advantage of cold shooting by Clemson to forge a 31-24 halftime lead. The Tigers missed 15 of their first 17 shots from the floor and graduate guards Reed and Shelton Mitchell were a combined 3-for-14.
But Reed heated up quickly in the second half, hitting a floater in the lane and a pair of three-pointers to spark a 16-7 Clemson run that gave the Tigers their first lead of the game at 40-38 with 13:37 remaining.
Clemson pushed that lead to nine before Syracuse mounted a comeback, cutting its deficit to 49-47 with 8:58 left. But Reed scored 10 consecutive points in an 18-6 Clemson run that clinched the victory and snapped a three-game Syracuse winning streak in the series.
Clemson also got 13 points and 11 rebounds from senior forward Elijah Thomas - his 20th career double-double. Mitchell added 10 points.
Sophomore forward Oshae Brissett led Syracuse with 15 points while Buddy Boeheim, a freshman guard and Coach Jim Boeheim's son, added 11 points. Junior guard Tyus Battle added 10 points, hitting double figures for the 27th time in 31 games this season.
--Field Level Media