Clemson has back-and-forth battle with Penn State but Tigers comes out on top

Clemson showed grit today, battling it out with Penn State in the 2024 Sunshine Slam. The Tigers walked away from the back-and-forth affair with a 75-67 and the 2024 Sunshine Slam championship.

The game consisted of seven lead changes and ties, but the lead times heavily favored Clemson. The Tigers were ahead for over 27 minutes despite a tight score heading into the final minute of the game.

The usual suspects led the team in scoring, with Hunter Chase and Ian Schieffelin notching 17 and 18 points, respectively. Two other players recorded double-digit point totals. Chauncy Wiggins had 14 points, while true Freshman Del Jones had 10, going 2-3 from beyond the arch and earning praise from the commentators for his efforts in the paint.

Clemson struggled with Penn State's big, Yonic Konan Niederhauser's size and athleticism as he went 6-7 from the field for 14 points. But the three-ball was a great equalizer for the Tigers, recording 47.4 percent of their shots from downtown. The Nittany Lions, on the other hand, shot a measly 22.2 percent.

Florida A&M will come to Littlejohn Coliseum this Friday, but the next big challenge is No. 8 Kentucky coming to Clemson for the ACC/SEC Challenge. Hopefully, the Tigers can ride the wave of momentum through this week, maybe even forcing an upset next Tuesday.