Clemson basketball prevails over Baylor in the March Madness tournament and advances to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
The Clemson Tigers basketball team defeated the third-seeded Baylor Bears by a score of 72-64 on Sunday at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. This victory allowed the Tigers to move to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in the history of the program when they defeated Baylor.
Because of their strong defense and timely scoring, the sixth-seeded Tigers (23-11) were able to defeat the Bears (24-11) and take advantage of the momentum they gained from their victory over New Mexico on Friday, which saw them win by 21 points.
In the Sweet 16 on Thursday, Clemson will compete against Arizona, which is ranked second with a record of 27-8.
Again, Clemson demonstrated that it is a master class by defying the statistics and the critics. Through the remarkable offensive play of Chase Hunter, which included a double-clutch running three-pointer at the buzzer, the team was able to build a 35-25 lead at the halftime break and maintain control for the majority of the remaining minutes of the game. However, in the waning minutes of the game, Baylor was able to narrow the margin to two points.
Joseph Girard III led the team in scoring with 13 points, while Hunter finished with 20 points and six assists.
With PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin both in foul trouble, Clemson's basketball team delivers.
Makes it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after edging off Baylor in March Madness
Greenville News reporter Derrian Carter
On Sunday at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee, Clemson basketball advanced to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in program history despite a near-collapse in the last minutes of the game. They defeated No. 3 seed Baylor 72-64.
The sixth-seeded Tigers (23-11) cruised past the Bears (24-11) thanks to their solid defense and timely scoring, continuing their winning streak that began on Friday with a 21-point victory over New Mexico.
On Thursday in Los Angeles, Clemson will take on No. 2 Arizona (27-8).
In yet another master class, Clemson shocked the experts and the numbers. Thanks to some outstanding play by Chase Hunter—including a double-clutch running 3-pointer at the buzzer—it was able to build a 35-25 lead at halftime and maintained that lead for the most of the game. Despite never taking the lead, Baylor managed to take it down to two in the dying minutes.
Both Joseph Girard III (13 points) and Hunter (20 points, 6 assists) had strong performances.
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After Clemson’s first second-round victory since 2018, here are two things to remember.
With PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin both in foul trouble, Clemson’s basketball team delivers.
After Hall fouled out in the second half, Hunter, Schieffelin, and Girard scored vital baskets to put an end to Baylor’s comeback attempt; Hall finished with 11 points in 20 minutes.
Baylor's 3-point shooting is stopped by Clemson.
After making 16 3-pointers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Bears were unable to continue their hot streak against New Mexico. After holding No. 14 seed Colgate to 53.3% from beyond the arc on Friday, Clemson held Baylor to only six 3-pointers, resulting in a 25% 3-point percentage.
The Tigers’ length on defense led to ten turnovers, four steals, and four blocks. During March Madness, their defense has been absolutely phenomenal, allowing only 60 points per game.
