The disappointment hanging over Clemson’s men’s basketball season culminated in the end Wednesday.
Three days after being bypassed for an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers’ season ended with 68-64 loss to Morehead State in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. Clemson shot just 41% from the field in its final game at Littlejohn Coliseum, becoming the second No. 1 seed in the NIT to lose.
Chase Hunter led the Tigers with 18 points. PJ Hall was the only other Clemson player in double figures with 13. Hunter Tyson finished with nine points on 4 of 12 shooting in his final college game.
Clemson (23-11) held Morehead State (22-11) to just 35% shooting, but a porous second half in that department doomed the Tigers. Clemson connected on just 12 of its 29 shots after halftime, including just one 3-pointer. The Tigers shot just 21.4% from beyond the arc.
Clemson led 34-32 at the half before Morehead State led by as many as seven in the second half. The Tigers got within two a few times in the final minute, but a layup and four free throws, all in the final 16 seconds, helped the Eagles keep their distance.
