Clemson Goes From Win Over No. 1 Team to Nine-Point Half

Beating the nation’s top-ranked team last Sunday did nothing to change Clemson’s terribly erratic season.

The Tigers followed up Sunday’s victory over then-No. 1 North Carolina by scoring only nine points in the first half of Wednesday’s 92-60 loss to No. 24 Wake Forest at Clemson, S.C.

Clemson, 11-15 overall and 2-11 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, had suffered a 34-point loss to North Carolina State last Wednesday--its worst in 45 years--before beating North Carolina by 10.

It was back to the downside against Wake Forest, however, as Clemson had 13 turnovers in the first half and didn’t make a shot until nearly 11 minutes had elapsed. The Tigers made three of 22 shots in trailing 41-9 at halftime.

The last time Clemson scored fewer points in a half was in the Southern Conference tournament in 1945 when it trailed South Carolina, 36-6, at halftime.

“That’s basketball,” said Clemson’s Will Solomon, whose nine points were nearly 13 below his ACC-leading scoring average. “You’re on top one night, then you’re on the bottom.”

Wake Forest (18-8, 7-7) scored the first 11 points and led, 32-4, with 6:37 left in the half.

“It was a shock to me,” said the Demon Deacons’ Darius Songaila of the first half in which he outscored Clemson with 10 points en route to a game-high 24. “I didn’t even know the exact score. I couldn’t keep up with it. I was too excited.”

No. 4 Duke 98, Georgia Tech 54-- The Blue Demons (24-3, 11-2 in the ACC) got 25 points from Jason Williams at Durham, N.C., in handing the Yellow Jackets (15-10, 7-7) their worst loss in 29 years.

Shane Battier, who had 16 points, became the 10th Duke player to have his number retired in a ceremony before the game. Battier’s No. 31 jersey joins those of Dick Groat (10), Art Heyman (25), Jeff Mullins (44), Mike Gminski (43), Johnny Dawkins (24), Danny Ferry (35), Christian Laettner (32), Bobby Hurley (11) and Grant Hill (33) in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium.

No. 6 Iowa State 62, Kansas State 51--The Cyclones (23-3, 11-2 in the Big 12) used a 7-0 run at the start of the second half to take their biggest lead of the game at Manhattan, Kan., at 20 points en route to their 10th consecutive victory.

Kansas State (9-15, 3-10) has lost seven of eight games.

No. 7 Florida 77, No. 12 Mississippi 55--Udonis Haslem scored 21 points as the Gators (19-5, 9-4 in the Southeastern Conference) overcame an another injury to forward Brent Wright at Gainesville, Fla., and ended a win streak at six for the Rebels (21-5, 9-4).

Wright, who averages 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds, landed awkwardly in the second half on the same foot he had surgically repaired in January and had to be helped off the court. X-rays were negative, but he is questionable for Saturday’s game against Alabama.

No. 11 Kansas 91, Colorado 79--Nick Collison had a career-high 26 points at Lawrence, Kan., as the Jayhawks (20-5, 9-4 in the Big 12) overcame 21-of-22 free throw shooting by the Buffaloes (15-12, 5-9) to beat them for the 24th consecutive time.

Kansas Coach Roy Williams became the second-winningest coach in school history with his 349th victory (against 182 losses). Williams trails Phog Allen, for whom Kansas’ arena is named, by 241 victories.

No. 13 Kentucky 84, Louisiana State 61--Keith Bogans scored all 23 of his points in the second half at Lexington, Ky., as the Wildcats (18-7, 11-2 in the SEC) extended their win streak to eight. LSU (11-13, 1-12) has lost eight in a row.

Bogans made eight of 12 shots, while Tayshaun Prince, who had 16 points, was seven for 11.

Auburn 72, No. 14 Alabama 69--Reserve guard Reggie Sharp banked in a 35-foot shot at the buzzer in overtime to give the Tigers (16-10, 6-7 in the SEC) the victory at Auburn, Ala.

Rod Grizzard’s basket with 4.4 seconds left had tied the game for Alabama (20-6, 8-5). The Crimson Tide has lost 21 of its last 22 road games.

No. 18 Notre Dame 76, No. 10 Boston College 75--Martin Ingelsby made an off-balance 15-foot jumper with 3.7 seconds left at South Bend, Ind., for the decisive basket for the Irish (18-6, 10-3 in the Big East).

Boston College (19-4, 10-3) lost a final chance to win or tie the game when Troy Bell had the ball knocked away by David Graves from behind as he dribbled past midcourt. Bell had 15 points, while Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy scored 23.

No. 19 Wisconsin 64, Minnesota 54--Kirk Penney scored 21 points, including 14 during a four-minute span in the first half, to lead the Badgers (17-7, 8-5 in the Big Ten) at Madison, Wis.

Minnesota (17-10, 5-9) got 23 points from Terrance Simmons.

St. John’s 73, No. 21 Georgetown 70--Freshman Willie Shaw, scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting in his last game, bounced back with 16 points for the Red Storm (14-11, 8-5 in the Big East) at New York. Shaw made his first three three-point shots and was five for eight from the field.

Georgetown (20-6, 7-6) had a chance to tie the game with five seconds left but Kevin Braswell’s shot bounced off the rim and St. John’s Sharif Fordham grabbed it for his career-high 16th rebound and time ran out.

Georgia 88, No. 22 Tennessee 76--The Bulldogs (15-11, 8-5 in the SEC) used a late 15-0 run at Knoxville, Tenn., which included nine consecutive free throws to hand the Volunteers (18-9, 5-8) their fifth consecutive loss.

D.A. Layne scored 21 points and Anthony Evans had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Georgia.

No. 23 St. Joseph’s 82, Dayton 72--Marvin O’Connor made eight of 13 three-point shots and scored 30 points to lead the Hawks (22-4, 12-1 in the Atlantic 10) past the Flyers (16-10, 7-6) at Dayton, Ohio.

St. Joseph’s has won eight in a row and is off to its best start since 1985-86.

OTHER GAMES

Jeff Greer matched his season high with 26 points and Rutgers (11-13, 3-10) kept its chances of qualifying for the Big East tournament alive with a 75-57 victory over Seton Hall (13-11, 4-9) at Piscataway, N.J. Seton Hall--which reached the NCAA tournament’s round of 16 last season--and Rutgers occupy the last two places in the Big East’s Western Division. The team that finishes last won’t get a spot in the conference tournament. . . . Adelphi, a Division II school that has the lone unbeaten team in NCAA men’s basketball, increased its record to 25-0 with an 88-56 victory over Southhampton at Garden City, N.Y.