UNC is coming to town. Here’s a look at Clemson’s last five wins over the Tar Heels
Historically, North Carolina has had success against Clemson whether at home or on the road.
The Tar Heels hold a 133-23 overall series lead, though the Tigers have had some success in recent years. That includes the program’s first victory in Chapel Hill two years ago.
“We’ve won a couple close games against them here recently,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “We’ve got to compete at a really high level. (First-year head coach Hubert Davis has) done a nice job. They’re playing a little bit differently. They’re still fast and still rebound, still a very talented lineup. We’ve got to worry as much about ourselves as we do North Carolina.”
As Clemson embarks on a tough next stretch of the season, it can get a fourth win over the Tar Heels in five years when the two teams face off at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson.
Here’s a look at Clemson’s past five wins over UNC:
Feb. 2, 2021: Clemson 63, UNC 50
Clemson head coach Brad Brownell was able to get one final win over Tar Heels longtime coach Roy Williams before he retired last year. As a team, the Tigers outscored the Tar Heels, 21-12 in the final 9:21 of the contest.
Hunter Tyson scored all 16 of his points in the final 10 minutes. He won’t be on the court Tuesday night to replicate the performance, however, after breaking his clavicle against Florida State on Feb. 1. Brownell said the forward had surgery on Friday.
Jan. 11, 2020: Clemson 79, UNC 76, OT
This was arguably one of the best wins of Brownell’s tenure with Clemson getting its first win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. It was his 177th as the head coach of the Tigers, which tied him with Cliff Ellis for most all-time wins by a Clemson head coach.
It was also the 60th time the Tigers played UNC on its home court, overcoming a 39-29 halftime deficit before forcing overtime. They never held a lead in regulation but went on a 12-2 run in the final two minutes of the game. Clemson converted 11 Tar Heel turnovers into 14 points and recorded 39 rebounds.
Aamir Simms etched his name into Clemson history by making the game-tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in regulation. He ended the game with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four blocks and three steals.
Jan. 30, 2018: Clemson 82, UNC 78
The Tigers had just lost to the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill two weeks prior but defended their home court to split the ACC series that season.
Clemson also made 15 3-pointers, tied for second-most in program history and the most made by a Brownell-led squad. Gabe DeVoe, who finished with 17 points, made five of the team’s treys, while Elijah Thomas neared double-double territory with 11 points and six blocks.
The win also ended Clemson’s 10-game losing streak to UNC.
Jan. 13, 2010: Clemson 83, UNC 64
Oliver Purnell and the Tigers, ranked 24th at the time, broke the first 10-game losing streak to the Tar Heels, who were the No. 12 team in the country, in 2010 thanks to a 21-point performance from Trevor Booker. The former NBA player and Demontez Stitt combined for 41 points to power Clemson to the victory.
Defense has consistently been a calling card for the program and that night, it contributed to UNC having 26 turnovers, which tied for the most committed under Williams at that time.
Jan. 31, 2004: Clemson 81, UNC 72
Purnell’s first year with Clemson included a win over the 12th-ranked Tar Heels as the two teams split the regular-season series.
Clemson came into the game having lost the previous four but snapped out of it. The Tigers were the ACC’s worst 3-point shooting team and turned things around by going 11-for-13 from 3-point range, a school record, on its home court. Shawan Robinson shot 5-for-6 from long distance and finished with a then career-high 24 points, while Chey Christie went 3-for-4 from behind the arc for 11 points.
This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
