Tigers upset No. 23 Alabama, off to best start under Brad Brownell

PJ Hall worked around foul trouble to score 21 points in the win over Alabama. (Merrell Mann photo)

by TigerNet Staff - Wed Nov 29 00:02:59 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson men’s basketball withstood a second-half surge from No. 23 Alabama and featured a balanced scoring effort in the face of foul trouble to spring the upset in Tuscaloosa, 85-77.

The ACC-SEC Challenge win has the Tigers off to their first 6-0 start under Brad Brownell and also has Clemson off to the best start for the program since 2008-09 (went on to 16-0).

"I thought we just gutted it out," Brownell said on Clemson radio. "Just beat a good team on their court. A good win."

Four Tigers scored in double figures, led by Hall’s 21 points and eight rebounds, with big 3-point efforts guiding Joseph Girard III’s 16 and Chase Hunter’s 15 points. RJ Godfrey scored 11, while Ian Schieffelin added nine and 14 rebounds.

Alabama (5-2), which came into the game rated No. 1 in adjusted offense and No. 25 in tempo (KenPom), had the game largely dictated by the Tigers in the first half.

Clemson led by as much as eight points 12 minutes in before a quick Crimson Tide 8-0 run tied things up with just over five minutes left in the period, and a couple free throws under two minutes later gave the home team their first lead since 4-2.

Despite foul trouble sending Hall, Clemson’s leading scorer of the half (8), to the bench with 3:17 to go (two fouls), the Tigers didn’t flinch, and a pair of Josh Beadle buckets in the final minute put Clemson on top 33-32 going into the break.

After losing the ball dribbling on the offensive end, Hall picked up his third foul with under two minutes into the second half and went to the bench right after.

Alabama started the first half 1-for-12 on 3-pointers, but the Crimson Tide countered that with a 5-of-7 mark from beyond the arc in the second to take their biggest lead yet, 53-46, with under 13 minutes left.

Subbed back in soon after, Hall scored Clemson’s next seven points to tie things back up with 11 and a half minutes left. The Tigers built on that to make it a 13-0 run and take a 59-53 lead with 10 to go.

The 3-pointers rained in from both sides in the next stretch, and Clemson led by six with eight minutes left.

Hall added his fourth foul with just over five minutes left, but Girard’s fourth triple of the night made it 73-66 Tigers. A Hunter trey on the next possession extended the lead to 10 with 4:37 left. Another Hunter 3-pointer with three to go helped keep the Crimson Tide at bay.

Alabama cut the lead to five with 34 seconds to go, but Hall went to the free-throw line and hit both attempts.

"That was hard work," Brownell said. "Not gonna lie. I was coaching every possession. It was a grind, but man am I proud of this team. What a terrific win. Just different guys throughout the game...Big shots at the end. I thought Bas (Leyte) gave up great minutes. Ian Schieffelin, 14 rebounds. Joe Girard making big-time shots. Josh Beadle at the end of the first half with a couple big baskets. Chauncey (Wiggins) good poise late inbounding the ball and handling things. Dillon (Hunter) defense and PJ obviously his 21 (points). RJ was terrific, 5-for-6...

"When we settled into the game and did what we wanted to do in the middle of the first half, got the ball inside and tried to punch them in the mouth, which is what we were trying to do, I thought we executed really well."

The Clemson victory broke a string of 19 consecutive home wins for Alabama. The win was just the second non-conference, road-ranked win in Clemson men's basketball history.

Clemson returns to action with the start of ACC play at Pittsburgh on Sunday (2 p.m./ACCN).

Note: Guard Alex Hemenway was ruled out pregame with a lower-body injury, Clemson said.

🚨 UPSET ALERT! 🚨

Clemson takes down No. 24 Alabama, 85-77 on the road! 🙌@ClemsonMBB | #ACCMBB pic.twitter.com/C5p7WnNfcp
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 29, 2023

Beadle beats the buzzer! 🚨

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/wGJxIQrv4T
— Clemson Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) November 29, 2023

BIG-time shot for @godfrey_rj 💥

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/yJhC8HLxm1
— Clemson Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) November 29, 2023

Nailed it, @chunt3r2 🎯

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/AiFop5Tsxg
— Clemson Basketball (@ClemsonMBB) November 29, 2023

Chase Hunter with the BIG 3️⃣!!!@ClemsonMBB leads #23 Alabama with just a few minutes left down in Tuscaloosa 🏀
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/zzGBpZNys1
— Clemson Athletics (@ClemsonTigers) November 29, 2023