How Clemson basketball overcame Arizona, its fans to advance to Elite Eight for first in 44 years

LOS ANGELES — It's official. Clemson basketball has recaptured its early season vibes when it began the season with an 11-1 record.

All the sixth-seeded Tigers (24-11) needed was to play against non-conference opponents, where they had a 2-1 record on the road and won three neutral site games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament.

After beating New Mexico and upsetting Baylor in the first two rounds of March Madness, Clemson knocked off No. 2 seed Arizona 77-72 Thursday at Crypto.com Arena to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in 44 years. The Sweet 16 game felt like it was at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona, with the number of fans for the Wildcats in attendance.

"We've played in more intense, harder environments than that," Clemson forward PJ Hall said. "We were calm. That speaks to our veterans, too, a lot of older guys in the group. Staying calm and being able to withstand runs."

Playing against conference foes has been Clemson's weakness, going 11-10 against ACC teams this season. Yet, against non-conference opponents, they have thrived, only suffering one loss — Memphis.

The Tigers continued their dominance against non-ACC opponents Thursday, building a 29-16 lead in the first half against Arizona (27-9). Known for their offense, Clemson's defense has shined in March Madness, holding opponents to an average of 4.6 made 3-pointers and 35.1% shooting. Its mix of zone and man defense has flustered teams, which has propelled the Tigers.

"I do think it's important to mention Arizona had some good shots and missed them, and that's part of March Madness," Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. "It's part of the pressure of making shots this time of year in the tournament."

Arizona battled back though, attacking the paint to make baskets or get to the free-throw line. The Wildcats, a team that has the third scoring offense in the nation, battled back to take the lead for the first time with 14:32 remaining in the game.

With the crowd shouting "U-of-A" and Arizona having the momentum, Clemson never lost its composure and kept its edge. It's a credit to the high-stakes games the team has been involved in during the season.

"We've won some big-time road games this year," Brownell said. "We've played a very challenging schedule. … And I just think the league prepares us for these kinds of games."

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The Tigers leaned on its veterans to complete its second upset of the NCAA Tournament. Jack Clark made a crucial 3-pointer for Clemson to retake the lead and momentum back.

When Arizona tied the score at 56, Hall made the go-ahead layup to give the Tigers the lead it wouldn't relinquish. With Clemson leading 72-70 in the final seconds, Chase Hunter sliced through the defense to make an acrobatic and-one layup to seal the game.

The Tigers are now on the doorstep to make the Final Four for the first time in program history. They will face No. 4 seed Alabama (24-11) in the Elite Eight on Saturday, beating the Crimson Tide 85-77 on Nov. 28 this season.

"Our guys have a lot of belief in each other, and I certainly have a lot of belief in my team," Brownell said. "And we're playing good basketball right now, and anything can happen in these tournaments."

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: How Clemson basketball toppled Arizona and its fans, too