Clemson’s Thrilling Comeback Triumph over Virginia!CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Ian Schieffelin put on a show in the second half, contributing 13 of his 21 points as No. 13 Clemson rallied from behind to secure a 71-58 victory over Virginia on Saturday. Schieffelin, fresh off a stellar 24-point performance against Notre Dame, also pulled down 13 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, helping the Tigers (24-5, 16-2 ACC) remain just a game behind conference leaders Duke in the standings.Isaac McKneely led the charge for the Cavaliers (14-15, 7-11) with 16 points. Virginia had been on a hot streak, hitting 10 or more 3-pointers in seven of their last 10 games before Saturday, but they struggled from beyond the arc, converting only 8 of 19 attempts.Key Takeaways:Clemson: Overcoming a sluggish start and a fierce Virginia performance, the Tigers roared back in the second half, outscoring the Cavaliers 44-26 to clinch their 24th win of the season for the second consecutive year.Virginia: After a recent road victory against Wake Forest and aiming to break an eight-game losing streak against ranked opponents, the Cavaliers displayed one of their stronger halves this season, heading into halftime with a 32-27 lead. However, they faltered in the second half, marking their first losing season in ACC play since 2010-11.Key Moment:Trailing by five at halftime, Clemson mounted a remarkable 20-2 run early in the second half to seize control. Schieffelin was instrumental during this surge, scoring nine points to push the Tigers ahead 47-39 with 11:27 remaining.Key Stat:Clemson dominated in the paint, scoring 48 of their points down low, with Schieffelin and Viktor Lakhin causing havoc inside. Virginia struggled to contain their opponents, with their interior defense once again exposed after allowing a season-high 52 paint points in their previous game against Wake Forest.Upcoming Matches:Clemson will face Boston College on Wednesday night, while Virginia is set to host Florida State on Tuesday night.___Stay up to date with poll alerts and AP Top 25 updates throughout the season. Sign up here. For more on AP college basketball, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball.
