Cold-Shooting Too Much For Wildcats To Overcome Against Clemson in Sweet 16

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Chase Hunter scored 18 factors and transformed a three-point play with 25.7 seconds remaining, and Clemson superior to the Elite Eight for the second time at school historical past, beating Arizona 77-72 in a West Area semifinal on Thursday night time.

PJ Corridor added 17 factors for the sixth-seeded Tigers (24-11), who superior to face both top-seeded North Carolina or No. 4 seed Alabama.

Clemson final reached the ultimate eight in 1980, when there have been 48 groups within the NCAA Match. Coach Brad Brownell was making his second look within the second weekend of March Insanity in his 14 seasons with the Tigers.

“We have battled a variety of issues. It is a nice second for Clemson basketball,” Brownell stated.

Jaden Bradley scored 18 factors, Oumar Ballo had 15 and Caleb Love 13 for second-seeded Arizona (27-9), which had a horrific taking pictures night time, going 5 of 28 (17.9%) from 3-point vary. Love missed all 9 of his makes an attempt past the arc because the Wildcats failed to succeed in the Elite Eight for the twelfth time total and first time since 2015.

Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd was ousted within the Candy 16 for the second time in his three seasons.

After Bradley’s 3-pointer obtained Arizona inside 72-70, Hunter put it out of attain when he drove for a layup whereas being fouled by Bradley. Hunter’s free throw made it a five-point sport.

“I simply needed to make a play. On the finish of the day, I needed to get to the basket, needed to get an and-1, needed to make one thing occur, and that is what I did.”

HIGHLIGHT REEL

Ballo provided one in all Arizona’s uncommon highlights late within the first half with a one-handed dunk on an alley-oop. Bradley made an excellent move from the nook in visitors earlier than Ballo slammed it together with his proper hand to deliver the Wildcats inside 37-31 with 56 seconds remaining. Hunter tried to leap up and deflect Bradley’s move, however to no avail.

BIG PICTURE

Clemson: The Tigers had dropped three of 4 getting into March Insanity, together with a loss to Boston School within the first spherical of the ACC Match. They have been one in all 4 ACC groups to succeed in the Candy 16, and now they are going to search to advance to the Closing 4 for the primary time.

Arizona: All of the Wildcats’ factors contained in the 3-point line got here on layups or dunks. Bradley went 2 of 4 from 3-point vary, however nobody else made multiple 3. Pelle Larson was 1 of 6 past the arc and completed with eight factors.

—