Syracuse rallied from 15 points down to tie Clemson with 3:37 to play, but the Tigers used a 9-1 run to gain control of the game, again, giving teammate Joe Girard a nice homecoming Saturday with a 77-68 victory at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

Girard, who transferred to Clemson in the off-season, spent the previous four years at Syracuse where he became one of the best shooters in ACC history. However, on his return trip home, Girard led the Tigers with 18 points, while also scoring his 2,000th career point.

Besides Girard’s 18 points, the Tigers also got 15 points and 10 rebounds from PJ Hall, while Chase Hunter added 14 more and seven assists. Forward Ian Schieffelin tallied 13 points, six rebounds and two assists.

The Orange was led by JJ Starling’s and Chris Bell’s 16 points. Starling scored all 16 of his points in the second half. Judah Mintz added 14 points, as the Orange used 21 Clemson turnovers to get back in the game.

The 21 turnovers were a season-high for Clemson. The win was just Clemson’s second at the JMA Dome in seven tries. It was also a nice follow from Tuesday night’s win at No. 3 North Carolina, the Tigers’ second ever win in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Despite the turnovers, Clemson made 61 percent of its shots, including 6 of 14 from three-point range. The Tigers also had a 41-24 advantage on the glass. They had a 34-16 edge on the defensive boards.

Clemson outscored the Orange 48-32 in the paint. Syracuse shot just 39 percent from the field and was just 7 of 23 from behind the arc.

In his return trip to Syracuse, Girard made five of six field goals, while connecting on four of his five three-point attempts. He also was 4-for-4 from the foul line and added four rebounds and two assists.

Syracuse (15-9, 6-7 ACC) opened the second half with an 8-0 run, and slowly fought their way back into the game.

Starling’s jumper with 3:37 to play evened things up at 60, bringing the Orange all the way back from trailing the Tigers twice by 15 points in the opening half.

However, Hall quickly put Clemson back in front with a layup and then Hunter drove by the Syracuse defense after an Orange miss and put the Tigers back up four, 64-60, with 2:37 to go.

Schieffelin then drained a wide open three-pointer for a 67-60 lead with 1:54 to go. The junior then added a layup to close the 9-1 run to give Clemson a 69-61 lead with 1:31 to remaining.

The Tigers closed the game by making their last five field goals.

Hall’s dunk with 14:47 to play in the opening half, gave the Tigers an 11-10 lead. Clemson never trailed again after the Hall dunk.

Hunter’s layup as time expired gave the Tigers a 37-24 lead at the break.

Clemson (16-7, 6-6 ACC) used an 18-2 run to build a 15-point lead, 27-12, with 7:57 to play in the half. Girard’s second three-pointer of the period capped the run.

The Tigers held Syracuse scoreless for more than six minutes. During Clemson’s run, the Orange was just 1-for-12 during the 7:41 stretch.

Clemson dominated the paint, as 28 of their 37 points came in the lane. The Tigers owned a 28-10 advantage inside the lane in the first 20 minutes.

They also owned a 27-11 advantage on the boards and an 11-3 edge in second chance points. Clemson had 21 defensive rebounds to Syracuse’s eight in the opening half.

The only low for Clemson in the half was 11 turnovers. However, Clemson still owned a 7-4 edge on points off turnovers.

INJURIES

Guard Alex Hemenway (lower body) and center Bas Leyte (shoulder) both missed the game. Forward Ian Schieffelin was banged up around the nine-minute mark of the first half, but he returned in the second half.

UP NEXT

Clemson will return home Wednesday to take on Miami. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and will be televised on ESPN 2/U.

—Photo by Mark Konezny / USA TODAY Sports

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