Clemson defeats Syracuse 61-64

Clemson Edges Syracuse in Thrilling 3-Point Battle

In a heart-stopping conference matchup, Clemson (AWAY) outlasted Syracuse (HOME) 64-61 at the JMA Wireless Dome on New Year's Eve. The thrilling contest was marked by a seesaw battle between two teams that traded baskets and turnovers throughout.

At halftime, Clemson held a slim 29-28 edge over Syracuse, setting the stage for a back-and-forth second half. The Orange rallied to take a 1-point lead with just over three minutes remaining, but Clemson's RJ Godfrey responded by scoring five straight points, including two clutch three-pointers, to propel his team ahead.

Godfrey finished with an impressive 14 points on 77.8% shooting from the field and 2 assists. Carter Welling chipped in with seven points, five rebounds, and two assists for Clemson.

Donnie Freeman led Syracuse (HOME) in scoring with 18 points, including 2-5 three-pointers, but his teammates struggled to find consistency beyond him. Naithan George provided six assists, while the team's bench was unable to find its footing.

The game's key differentiating stat was Clemson's edge on three-point shooting, where they made 4 of 16 attempts (25%) compared to Syracuse's 5 of 15 (33.0%). This disparity allowed Clemson to stay ahead throughout much of the second half.

In a dramatic finish, the Tigers held onto their 3-point advantage, securing the narrow win and edging Syracuse in what was arguably one of the most thrilling contests of the early season conference schedule.

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Game Statistics

Advanced Team Statistics

Syracuse (HOME):

* eFG%: 45.6%

* FT Rate: 53.3%

* OREB%: 16.7%

* TO Ratio: 22.7%

Clemson (AWAY):

* eFG%: 51.8%

* FT Rate: 21.4%

* OREB%: 22.6%

* TO Ratio: 17.9%

Game Leaders

Syracuse:

* Donnie Freeman - 18 pts, 2-5 3PT, 45.5% FG

* Naithan George - 10 pts, 6 ast, 6 reb

Clemson:

* RJ Godfrey - 14 pts, 0-1 3PT, 77.8% FG

* Carter Welling - 7 pts, 2 ast, 5 reb