Clemson Battles Nerve-Wracking Performance in NCAA Tournament Game

Clemson teetered on the brink of setting an undesirable NCAA tournament milestone with their dismal display in the first half of their Thursday matchup against McNeese. The Tigers, ranked No. 5, found themselves trailing No. 12 McNeese with a paltry 31-13 score by halftime, missing the tournament record for the fewest first-half points by a single point. This dubious record remains with Wisconsin, who scored just 12 points in the first half of their 1999 clash with Missouri State. In that game, the Badgers were down 21-12 at halftime, marking the lowest point total for any half played with the shot clock in place.

Clemson’s shooting was abysmal, managing just 5-of-24 from the field and a woeful 1-of-15 from beyond the arc. Jaeden Zackery was the standout player, the only member managing to score more than one field goal, while three of his teammates failed to register a single basket with several attempts. On a positive note, Clemson did nail both of its free throws. Despite a stronger offensive push in the second half, scoring 54 points and narrowing the gap to just a single possession in the final seconds, McNeese secured their victory at the free-throw line.

Beyond the poor shooting, Clemson’s struggles were compounded by 10 turnovers in the first half. McNeese’s high-paced play flustered the Tigers, causing them to miss even the most straightforward shots. If you’re curious, the record for the fewest points in a tournament game was set long before the shot clock’s introduction in 1985. It was back in 1941 when Pitt triumphed over North Carolina with a score of 26-20—a record unlikely to be challenged anytime soon.