CLEMSON — The Clemson Tigers earned a big win at home Saturday in an all-around effort. It was the energy, however, that brought it all together for them.

After a snowfall on Friday kept many people off the road and in the warm, the Florida State Seminoles made the trip to Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum and were handed a 77-57 loss to the Tigers. Every player did their part, with Clemson leading over Florida State in nearly every major statistic. One player went the extra mile was guard Jaeden Zackery.

“He’s been doing that all season,” fellow guard and Clemson’s leading scorer Chase Hunter said. “He’s a big spark when we’re up or when we’re down.”

Hunter is right, it wasn’t just on Saturday.

All season long, Zackery has brought the energy, forced the momentum to shift toward Clemson’s side, and created an edge to the game that seems foreign. The secret to his impact? His play and his attitude on the court.

Zackery scored 15 points in the win over the Seminoles while connecting on 5 of 8 shooting.

“He’s always a guy who can get a steal, bring some energy, and just turn the game around,” Hunter said. “He brings value to this team, and it’s something that we’re going to need.”

Now sitting at 13-4 and 5-1 in the ACC, the Tigers will continue to need him. Zackery’s average of nearly 10 points and multiple assists and rebounds will play a large role in the future games coming for Clemson, especially games where he can control his environment and bring energy.

Not only does his offensive play spark his team and the crowd alike, but also his defensive prowess. Hunter gave his two cents after the victory on his previous experience against his teammate when Zackery played at Boston College.

“I think I had my worst game versus him in the ACC Tournament,” Hunter said. “He’s a pest on the ball, just someone who is very relentless and doesn’t stop.”

Zackery’s defense on Florida State’s Jamir Watkins was just what the Tigers needed. The ACC’s third leading scorer was held to 11 points and was just 3 of 12 from the field.

“He sets the tone for us with his effort, energy, and competitive spirit,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “There’s so many hustle plays that he makes and plays where he’s diving and fighting the ball and over ball screens, and he’s just a really tough guy. We love coaching him because he brings it every night. He wants to win.”

Zackery wants to win, and he helped his team do that against FSU. Next, he gets to help lead the Tigers to victories against a slew of upcoming ACC opponents, with Georgia Tech being the first potential victim of his terror on Tuesday at 9 p.m. at the McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.