Honestly, if you weren't inside Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday, you missed a masterclass in "grind-it-out" ACC basketball. The scoreboard read Clemson 69, Miami 59 when the final buzzer echoed, but that ten-point margin doesn't quite tell the whole story of how Brad Brownell’s squad essentially dismantled one of the hottest teams in the country.
Coming into this matchup, the Miami Hurricanes were riding a terrifying 10-game winning streak. They were averaging 87 points a night. People expected a shootout. Instead, they ran into a purple-and-orange wall.
The Game Nobody Expected
Clemson (16-3, 6-0 ACC) is officially on a tear. This win marks nine straight for the Tigers and their best start in conference play since the 2022-23 season. It’s wild because, for years, the narrative around Clemson basketball was that they’d find a way to let these games slip. Not this year.
The Tigers jumped out to an 8-0 lead before Miami could even blink. Carter Welling, the sophomore sensation out of Utah, set the tone immediately with a three-pointer. He ended up with a season-high 18 points and 9 rebounds. Watching Welling work the paint while also being a threat from deep is kinda becoming the X-factor for this team. He’s not just a big body; he’s got touch.
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Defensive Suffocation
If you love defense, this was your Super Bowl. If you like high-scoring track meets, you probably hated it. Miami’s Malik Reneau, who usually drops 20 a night, was held to just 11 points and eventually fouled out with about seven minutes left. That was essentially the dagger.
Clemson’s defensive stats from Saturday were borderline absurd:
- 12 steals (a season-high)
- Forced 16 Miami turnovers
- Held the Hurricanes to 38.9% shooting from the floor
- Limited Miami to a season-low 59 points
Dillon Hunter was the "floor general" everyone talks about but rarely sees executed this perfectly. He tied his career-high with 7 assists and snagged 4 steals. He’s the glue. When Miami cut the lead to eight in the second half, Hunter didn't panic. He just moved the ball, found Jestin Porter for a massive triple, and kept the ship steady.
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Why This Win Changes Everything
Look, the ACC is usually a dogfight between Duke and UNC, with everyone else fighting for scraps. But right now? Clemson is sitting at 6-0 in the league. They are one of only two undefeated teams in ACC play (Duke is the other).
People keep waiting for the "Clemson collapse," but it isn't happening. They never trailed against Miami. Not once. They led by as many as 17 points in the second half. Even when Miami went on a 9-0 run to make things interesting, Jake Wahlin responded with a thunderous dunk that nearly took the rim off.
It’s that kind of response—the "punch back" mentality—that separates this 2026 squad from previous iterations. Brad Brownell won his 308th game at Clemson on Saturday. He’s been through the ringer with this fan base, but you've gotta give the man his flowers: he has this team playing elite, disciplined basketball.
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The Littlejohn Factor
The crowd was electric. Sold out. Loud. The "soundtrack of a screaming crowd," as some local reporters put it, clearly rattled Miami's younger guards. The Hurricanes looked out of sync from the jump, missing their first seven possessions. That’s not just bad luck; that’s the pressure of playing in a hostile environment against a team that smells blood.
What’s Next for the Tigers?
The schedule doesn't get any easier, but the momentum is undeniable. Clemson stays home for their next test, a Tuesday night clash against NC State (January 20 at 7:00 PM). If they can navigate that, they head to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech.
For fans following the team, keep an eye on the health of the rotation. Brownell was rotating five players at a time on Saturday, keeping legs fresh. This depth is what allows them to maintain that high-intensity defense for a full 40 minutes.
If you're looking to catch the next wave of Tiger basketball, here’s the move:
- Watch the NC State game on ACCN this Tuesday; the atmosphere should be just as rowdy.
- Track the NET rankings. Clemson is projected to climb significantly after beating a top-tier Miami team.
- Monitor Carter Welling's growth. If he continues to play like an All-ACC center, Clemson isn't just a tournament team—they’re a "second weekend" threat.
The Tigers are for real. Believe the hype.