LOS ANGELES — For the primary time in additional than 4 a long time, Clemson is headed to the Elite Eight.
The Tigers, after shutting down Caleb Love and No. 2 Arizona for a lot of the night time, held on down the stretch to seize the 77-72 win over the Wildcats at Crypto.com Enviornment in Los Angeles. That formally secured their program’s second-ever journey to the Elite Eight. It additionally marked Arizona’s fourth straight Candy 16 loss, and the second in three seasons underneath head coach Tommy Lloyd.
“They have been the deserving group in the present day,” Lloyd stated. “They sort of have just a little system now. They’re sort of leaping individuals in video games, three in a row they bought up and compelled groups to play from behind. We dug deep and we bought ourselves again within the recreation, however we have been simply by no means capable of take that subsequent step.”
For a lot of the night time, Love and the Wildcats’ offense generally was simply off. They bought off to maybe the worst begin doable by opening the sport on the improper aspect of a 16-6 run. Love went 0-of-5 from the sphere to begin, too, and Clemson took full benefit. The Tigers stored a double-digit lead deep into the half whereas largely dominating the ground on protection. Chase Hunter stuffed 7-footer Oumar Ballo on the rim, after which Chauncey Wiggins adopted it with a clutch 3-pointer after Love dedicated a foul turnover off the backboard.
Ballo reduce the sport to single digits at halftime with a pair of dunks, together with an enormous one-handed slam off an help from Jaden Bradley within the closing minute, however the Wildcats nonetheless entered the locker room down by eight.
Lastly, Love and the Wildcats got here alive. They got here out of halftime on a 12-4 push and tied the sport on an and-one layup from Love simply minutes into the interval. Love then made one other layup precisely two minutes later, which gave them their first lead of the sport.
However that stretch of offense was short-lived. Arizona shut down as soon as once more virtually totally. Regardless of reaching the free throw line nearly each time the Wildcats attacked the rim — they have been within the double bonus simply seconds after the halfway level of the interval — they began settling for dangerous, fast pictures from behind the arc. They made simply considered one of their subsequent 19 discipline purpose makes an attempt, which allowed the Tigers to remain a step forward the remainder of the best way.
Arizona got here shut one final time after Bradley lastly bought a 3-pointer to fall, which reduce the sport to simply two factors with underneath a minute left. But Hunter got here by means of on the opposite finish, changing an and-one layup that despatched coach Brad Brownell right into a Tiger Woods-esque fist-pump on the sidelines. His brother, Dillon Hunter, adopted swimsuit with a three-point play of his personal to seal the five-point win.
“That was undoubtedly a giant second for our group,” Chase stated. “When that went in, I had confidence we have been going to win that recreation. And little bro bought that and-one and sealed it for us. Massive play, secured the win.”
Ballo led Arizona with 15 factors and 15 rebounds, although he went simply 1-of-7 from the free throw line. Bradley added 18 factors off the bench, and Love completed with 13 factors whereas taking pictures 0-of-9 from behind the arc.
Hunter led the Tigers with 18 factors and 6 rebounds within the win, and PJ Corridor completed with 17 factors and eight rebounds. Clemson, which has trailed for lower than a minute mixed in your complete NCAA event, will now tackle both Alabama or North Carolina in its first Elite Eight look since 1980 on Saturday night time.
Arizona, however, will now head again to Tucson after one more disappointing exit from the event.