Recap: Clemson 68 Cincnnati 65
Cincinnati fell to 7-5 Sunday afternoon as a furious second-half comeback fell just short. The Bearcats erased a 27-point deficit and 20-point halftime deficit, but ultimately dropped a 68–65 decision to Clemson
“Congratulations to Clemson,” Wes Miller said postgame. “They played great, especially coming out of the gate tonight. I didn’t think we were sharp on either end. That’s why you build that kind of a hole.”
(Photo: Clemson Athletics)
First Half: Clemson blitzes Cincinnati early
Clemson seized control almost immediately, burying Cincinnati under a barrage of three-pointers and transition baskets. The Tigers opened the game making five of their first eight shots from deep including back-to-back threes from Joseph Porter and long-range makes by Dillon Hunter, Christian Welling, and Jaxson Wahlin, racing out to a 14–0 lead before the Bearcats could get on the board. Cincinnati didn’t score until Shon Abaev knocked down a three with 13:39 left in the half.
Cincinnati continued to struggle to find rhythm offensively, missing its first eight shots and falling behind 23–3 midway through the half. Clemson’s Nick Davidson was especially efficient, scoring from all three levels as part of a 20–3 surge that pushed the lead to 20 at 23–3. When Welling drilled a three with 3:01 left in the half, the Tigers stretched the margin to its largest of the night at 38–11.
“That’s why you build that kind of a hole,” Miller reiterated. “But I thought we found a group that was going to kind of fight, try to dig out of it and chip away at it. That part I was really proud of.”
The Bearcats showed some late-life before the break. Jizzle James scored five points in the final two minutes, including a fast-break three and a paint jumper, trimming the deficit to 38–18 at halftime. Still, Cincinnati shot just 6-of-23 in the first half (26 percent), while Clemson went 14-of-28 and hit 8-of-13 from three-point range.
Second Half: Bearcats flip the script
Miller pointed to the final minutes of the first half as the turning point.
“We divide the game into four-minute stretches,” he explained. “The last four minutes of the first half was the first stretch that we won in the game. We saw some positive things, so we decided to stick with that group to start the second half.”
That decision paid dividends. Cincinnati came out aggressive, pressing defensively and pushing the tempo with a smaller lineup that included Thomas, Jizzle James, and Sencire Harris. Day Day Thomas spearheaded the comeback, drilling five three-pointers on the night, all in the second half, and finishing with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
“You felt like somebody needed to step up and make some plays there,” Miller said. “I think Day was the guy that did that first on the offensive end, and some other guys kind of followed suit.”
Thomas’ shooting, combined with increased ball pressure, helped Cincinnati go on a 15-2 run that cut the deficit from 40–18 to 42–33. The Bearcats won multiple four-minute segments in the second half, steadily chipping away at Clemson’s lead.
Cincinnati shot 45.7 percent after halftime and hit 7-of-12 from three, a stark contrast to its cold start. The Bearcats also dominated the glass, finishing with a 36–27 rebounding advantage, including 10 offensive rebounds that led to 12 second-chance points.
Final minutes: one-possession drama
Cincinnati refused to fold. Moustapha Thiam was dominant down the stretch, scoring 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting and converting all four of his free throws. His three-point play with 3:14 remaining cut the deficit to 58–52, and a jumper two minutes later made it 58–54.
After Godfrey scored inside to make it 62–58 with 1:02 left, Thiam answered again with a layup and free throw, bringing Cincinnati within 62–61. The Bearcats had multiple chances to take the lead, but Clemson held its composure at the line. Hunter, who finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, calmly knocked down four free throws in the final seven seconds.
James hit two free throws with five seconds left to pull Cincinnati within one, but Hunter sealed the game with two more from the stripe, preserving Clemson’s 68–65 victory.
By the numbers
Cincinnati finished the game shooting 37.9 percent overall but was far more efficient after halftime, hitting 45.7 percent in the second half and 7-of-12 from three during that stretch. The Bearcats also controlled the glass, outrebounding Clemson 36–27, including a 10–2 edge on the offensive boards, which led to a 12–5 advantage in second-chance points.
Thomas led Cincinnati with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting and 5-of-9 from three, while Thiam added 15 points and five rebounds. James and Harris chipped in 10 points apiece, while Baba Miller provided an interior presence with seven points, seven boards, and three assists.
Final Thoughts
Clemson shot 48 percent from the field and 50 percent from three, never relinquishing the lead and holding it for nearly 39 minutes. The Tigers totaled 15 assists on 24 made baskets, while Cincinnati committed the same number of turnovers (12) but couldn’t overcome its early inefficiency.
Miller acknowledged the challenge of matching Clemson’s physicality, particularly without key contributors.
“This is a game that the physicality that Clemson plays with — Tyler (McKinley) is our most physical player,” Miller said. “Not having him against a team like this is very, very difficult for us to kind of match the physicality, especially in the post.”
Still, Miller emphasized growth despite the result, comparing the contest to what lies ahead in conference play.
“That was a Big 12 game,” he said. “Clemson’s physicality on both ends is very much like some of the teams we’ll face in our league. They feel more like a Big 12 team than an ACC team.”
While frustrated with another narrow loss, Miller said the team’s resolve stood out most.
“I was proud that we put ourselves in a position to win the game given the way that the game started,” he said. “Sometimes you’ve got to put things in perspective. We’ll get back to work. That’s been my approach.”
For Cincinnati, the comeback effort showed resilience and potential. But as Miller and the Bearcats left the arena, the lesson was clear: against teams like Clemson, the margin for error — especially early — is razor thin.
Postgame Video: Wes Miller
Game Highlights: