CLEMSON, SC – No hangover for Clemson on Monday night, and no win for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels had no answers for the 23rd-ranked Tigers in a 85-65 Clemson win at Littlejohn Coliseum.

The Tar Heels were competitive through the mid-point of the first half leading by two points after an RJ Davis 3-pointer, but the Tigers closed out the half on a 28-10 run, taking a 49-33 lead into the locker room. And it was more a mere formality after that.

Clemson 6-foot-11 center Viktor Lakhin led the way scoring 20 points in 14 court minutes by halftime, including converting all four of his 3-point attempts. He had made just 15 on the season entering the night. The senior finished with 22 points.

RJ led UNC with 18 points while Seth trimble added 12 and Elliot Cadeau 11.

The loss was UNC’s fifth in its last seven games and dropped the Tar Heels to 14-11 overall and 7-6 in the ACC. Clemson improved to 20-5 and 12-2.

Carolina’s next game is Saturday at Syracuse.

Here is How It Happened:

TV TO – UNC 9, Clemson 9 with 15:51 left in the half

UNC 4-5 FGs (1-2 from 3)

Clem 3-7 FGs (3-5 from 3)

*Lakhin two 3s already

Rebs – Clemson 3-2 (OR Clem 2-0)

2nd chance pts – Clemson 3-0

Withers started over Jackson and hit a 3 from the left corner

*No fouls on the Tar Heels yet

Notes: Not a great buzz in here like it usually is when the Heels are at Littlejohn. Understandable since the Duke game here ended less than 48 hours earlier.

TV TO – Clemson 19, UNC 17 with 11:11 left in the half

That segment: Clemson 10-8

UNC 8-14 FGs (1-4 from 3)

Clemson 6-16 FGs (4-7 from 3)

Rebs – Clemson 11-4 (6-1 OR)

2nd chance pts – Clemson 5-2

Fast break pts – UNC 4-3 TOs – Clemson 4-2

Pts off TOs – UNC 7-5

Cadeau 3 assists

Lubin 3 rebounds

Notes: Ian Jackson, Drake Powell, and Jalen Washington entered at the TV timeout and gave the Heels some energy. They scored 7 points off turnovers in that segment.

TV TO – Clemson 30, UNC 25 with 7:34 left in the half

That segment: Clemson 11-8

UNC 11-21 FGs (2-5 from 3)

Clemson 10-21 FGs (6-9 from 3)

*Lakhin three 3s – didn’t attempt one vs Duke on Sat

Rebs – Clemson 14-7 (7-3 OR)

2nd chance pts Clemson 7-4

Pts in paint – UNC 16-6

Fast break pts – Clemson 6-5

Blocks – Clemson 3-2

Steals – UNC 3-2

Cadeau with 4 of UNC’s 5 assists & 3 of UNC’s 4 TOs

TV TO – Clemson 45, UNC 31 with 2:33 left in the half

That segment: Clemson 15-6

UNC 14-27 FGs (2-7 from 3)

Clem 16-29 FGs (8-12 from 3)

Rebs – Clemson 18-8 (8-3 OR)

2nd chance pts – Clemson 9-4

UNC 9-15 layups / 1-1 dunks

UNC 14 scores on 28 possessions (50%)

Clemson 6-12 layups / 0-0 dunks

Clemson 18 scores on 30 possessions (60%)

*Ian Jackson 6 minutes – still no points

*Jackson hasn’t scored since the Duke game

*Clemson on 24-8 run

Last Segment:

*Clemson 4-2

*The pace slowed and Carolina’s only bucket was a runner by Cadeau with 3 seconds left.

*Clemson outscored UNC 28-10 over the final 9:23 of the game

*Clemson converted 12 of its last 15 shots from the field

TV TO – Clemson 55, UNC 40 with 15:42 left

That segment: UNC 7-6

This half…

UNC 3-6 FGs (1-2 from 3)

Clemson 2-7 FGs (1-2 from 3)

UNC 0-4 FTs this half

Game…

Rebs – Clemson 25-14 (10-5 OR)

2nd chance pts – Clemson 9-7

Pts in paint – UNC 24-20

TV TO – Clemson 65, UNC 44 with 11:12 left

That segment: Clemson 10-4

With Clemson 11-for-18 from 3 right now, that means in the last 4-and-a-half games, UNC’s opponents have shot 48-for-95 from 3 – that’s 50.1%

TV TO – Clemson 74, UNC 48 with 7:00 left

*In the last 22:23 of basketball, Carolina has been outscored 53-25

*Clemson is currently on a 14-4 run

TV TO – Clemson 77, UNC 55 with 3:53 left

That segment: 7-7