The Tigers dropped their first conference game of the season at Louisville 74-64, making it Clemson's ninth-consecutive loss in KFC Yum Center. Although the final score broke double-digit points, the match was competitive. Unfortunately, with every punch Clemson threw, Louisville countered perfectly.
Two Cardinal runs made the difference in the game. Right before halftime, Louisville went on a 14-1 run to go up seven points. Free throws help extend the lead for Louisville, knocking down drawing three shooting fouls in the final 2:48 in the half. Before, the lead changed six times.
Clemson clawed back to within two in the second half, but Louisville erased it with its second run of the night. Between the 10:45 and the 3:41 mark, the Cardinals scored 16 to Clemson's four. This time, they did it with little help from the refs. The Tigers couldn't buy a buck for in the seven-minute period. Add in a few turnovers and it was a recipe for disaster.
Louisville did a wonderful job keeping Chase Hunter and Ian Schieffelin in check, especially the latter. Somehow he still finished with a double-double, but Schieffelin only had two shots in the first half. On the other hand, Clemson couldn't stop J'Vonne Hadley. The sensational guard went 10-12 for 32 points. That includes shooting perfectly from beyond the arc.
The Tigers will head back to Clemson this Saturday, taking on Florida State. The Seminoles are 10-4 with a game against Miami on Wednesday.