Tigers blow 20-point lead in season-ending loss
Oakland overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat Clemson in the NIT on Tuesday, 74-69. The Tigers ended their season with a 17-16 record.
Senior forward Jaron Blossomgame ended his career by joining the top five scorers in Clemson history, posting a game-high 24 points to pass Trevor Booker in the record books. Blossomgame and Shelton Mitchell (13) were the only double-figure scorers for the Tigers, who struggled to 27 percent shooting in the second half after a sizzling first half.
Martez Walker and Sherron Dorsey-Walker combined for 44 to lead Oakland (25-8). The Golden Grizzlies advance to the next round of the NIT, and will play the winner of the game between Alabama and Richmond.
Mitchell got the Tigers off and running. An early driving baseline dunk brought the crowd to its feet, and later a four-point play lifted Clemson to a 23-16 lead. After the Grizzlies cut it to 23-22, Clemson ended the half on a 20-2 run. Included in the run were two big buckets by Legend Robertin, and a deep 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left off an inbounds play by Gabe DeVoe.
Clemson cooled considerably in the second half, and watched Oakland take its first lead on a 12-0 run with under seven minutes left. A banked jumper in the paint by Dorsey-Walker put the Grizzlies up 63-61, which had been a 10-point lead not long before. Walker put his team up six, 69-63, with 3:30 to play when a triple banked in from the top.
OAKLAND 74, CLEMSON 69
OAKLAND (25-8): Brock 2-5 0-0 4, Hayes 2-4 1-2 5, Neely 2-5 0-0 6, Walker 7-17 6-8 23, Dorsey-Walker 7-16 4-6 21, Hill-Mais 5-8 0-0 10, Brechting 0-0 0-0 0, Cumberland 0-0 0-0 0, Clark 1-2 0-0 2, Daniels 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 27-61 11-16 74.
CLEMSON (17-16): Blossomgame 9-17 6-6 24, Grantham 3-8 0-0 8, Djitte 3-5 1-2 7, Mitchell 4-11 3-3 13, Holmes 1-6 0-0 3, Thomas 1-2 0-0 2, Robertin 2-2 0-0 4, Reed 2-10 0-0 5, Hudson 0-1 0-0 0, DeVoe 1-5 0-0 3. Totals 26-67 10-11 69.
Halftime—Clemson 43-24. 3-Point Goals—Oakland 9-26 (Dorsey-Walker 3-9, Walker 3-10, Neely 2-3, Daniels 1-3, Clark 0-1), Clemson 7-20 (Mitchell 2-3, Grantham 2-3, Holmes 1-3, Reed 1-4, DeVoe 1-4, Hudson 0-1, Blossomgame 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Oakland 39 (Brock 12), Clemson 31 (Djitte 11). Assists—Oakland 10 (Dorsey-Walker, Daniels 3), Clemson 16 (Mitchell 6). Total Fouls—Oakland 14, Clemson 12. A—2,785 (10,000).
This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 10:54 PM with the headline "Tigers blow 20-point lead in season-ending loss."