CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Al-Amir Dawes scored a season-high 21 points, knocking down five 3-pointers, and Clemson defeated Pitt 77-62 on Saturday to end the regular season.
The Tigers (16-6, 10-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) pulled away early in the second half when Nick Honor drained a 3-pointer to start a 9-0 run, expanding Clemson’s lead from 43-41 to 52-41 in 97 seconds.
Another 3-pointer by Hunter Tyson put Clemson up 57-46 at the 12:14 mark and it remained in double digits the rest of the away. Clemson made 12 3-pointers in 25 tries Saturday and was 56% shooting from the floor (29 of 52).
After Dawes, Tyson scored 16 points and Aamir Simms 12 with five assists.
Justin Champagnie led Pitt (10-11, 6-10) with 13 points, scoring 10 in the last 9:31 of the game. He’d been 1-of-7 shooting before making back-to-back baskets that brought the Panthers as close as 60-54.
Champagnie scored 10 of Pitt’s final 14 points. He added two steals and a blocked shot before subbing out with 38 seconds left. Pitt finished 20-for-45 shooting (44%) and was outscored 32-18 in the paint and 11-5 on the fast break. Ithiel Horton added 11 points.
Clemson made five of his first seven shots, including 3-pointers from Simms, Clyde Trapp, and Honor to lead 13-7 after four minutes, and never trailed.
The home finale at Littlejohn Coliseum was a sendoff for seniors Simms, Trapp, and Jonathan Baehre with some of the highlights including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament and breaking an 0-for59 streak at Chapel Hill.
Both teams await seeding into the ACC tournament, March 9-13.
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