Clemson, S.C. — Senior guard Jestin Porter erupted after halftime, pouring in all 16 of his points over the final 20 minutes to lift the Clemson Tigers men’s basketball team to an 80-76 win over the No. 24 Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team on Saturday.
Clemson entered the afternoon looking to halt a late-season skid that had cast doubt on its once-solid standing in the projected NCAA Tournament field. After winning 10 of their first 11 games in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Tigers had stumbled four straight times. With Saturday’s result, they improved to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in league play, regaining momentum with a gritty defensive effort and clutch shooting down the stretch.
Porter delivered the decisive sequence midway through the second half. With Clemson clinging to a 55-49 edge, he slashed down the right side for a layup off the glass. On the next key possession, Nick Davidson stripped Adrian Wooley and found Porter alone beyond the arc, where he buried a 3-pointer to stretch the margin to double digits.
The Tigers appeared in full control with a 15-point advantage and just over a minute remaining. Louisville responded with a frantic 17-6 burst to tighten the final margin, but Clemson’s cushion proved enough.
For Porter — a senior transfer from the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders — the breakout was overdue. He had failed to reach double figures in his previous 10 games and went scoreless in the first half Saturday while battling foul trouble. Two early second-half baskets sparked his rhythm before his late scoring run sealed the outcome.
Defensively, Clemson neutralized Louisville standout Mikel Brown Jr., who managed just five points on 2-of-10 shooting. Wooley paced the Cardinals with 17 points as the team dropped its third game in four outings, falling to 20-9 overall and 9-7 in conference play.
Louisville set the early tone, jumping ahead 11-7 behind 3-pointers from Ryan Conwell and J’Vonne Hadley and a three-point play from Brown. Clemson answered with a 12-4 push to seize control and carried a narrow 38-35 lead into halftime.
Up Next:
Louisville returns home Tuesday to face the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team, while Clemson travels to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team.
