Clemson beats Notre Dame 76-61, notches win No. 14
History came with authority this time.
Clemson opened ACC play 4–0 for just the second straight time in program history with a 76–61 win at Notre Dame on Saturday night, leaning on a dominant two-way performance from Jestin Porter and a defense that dictated terms from start to finish.
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The Tigers (14-3, 4-0) entered the night having won six straight games by seven points or fewer. This one never felt like it would need a late escape.
When Notre Dame (10-6, 1-2) made its final push midway through the second half, Clemson answered with its most decisive stretch of the night.
Porter was the difference.
With 5:44 remaining and Clemson’s 13-point lead trimmed to seven, momentum briefly tilted. Porter stopped it cold.
He scored eight straight points during a 10–2 run, flipping a manageable margin into a comfortable one.
The sequence was capped by a Porter-to-RJ Godfrey alley-oop that pushed the lead to 71–56 with 2:20 remaining, sealing the outcome and quieting the building.
That takeover stretch was a snapshot of Porter’s evolution.
After arriving from Middle Tennessee State known primarily as a scorer, Porter has grown into one of Clemson’s most impactful two-way guards under Brad Brownell.
His offense now flows directly from his defense, a theme that defined Saturday.
Porter finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting, many of them coming in transition or off broken possessions he helped create himself.
The defensive growth is both visible and measurable.
Porter had six steals in his first nine games as a Tiger. Over his last eight, that number has jumped to 16, including five against the Irish.
Those takeaways fueled a Clemson defense that forced 13 Irish turnovers while committing just six of its own, turning the margin into 16 points off turnovers.
Not every impact showed up in the box score.
Porter consistently disrupted timing, blew up actions before they could fully develop and forced Notre Dame into rushed decisions late in the shot clock. It’s the type of defensive awareness Brownell demands, and it has allowed Porter to influence games without forcing offense.
That defensive edge shaped the night from start to finish.
The Tigers never lost their structure, leading for 35 minutes overall and consistently dictating pace. When Notre Dame tried to speed the game up, Clemson slowed it back down.
That composure extended to Brownell’s rotation choices.
Clemson has leaned heavily on its depth throughout the season, but Saturday called for a different approach.
Brownell rode his starters — not out of necessity, but because it worked. Notre Dame outscored Clemson’s bench 16–8, yet the gap never translated into momentum.
Godfrey provided the steadying presence inside.
Brownell recently pointed to the senior’s growing maturity after the SMU win, and it showed again in South Bend.
Godfrey finished with 16 points and three rebounds, anchoring the interior and providing reliable decision-making as Notre Dame searched for answers.
Carter Welling continued his efficient stretch as well, scoring 14 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Clemson didn’t overwhelm Notre Dame with depth, but its starting group played with cohesion and balance that the Irish couldn’t match.
Notre Dame leaned heavily on guards Jalen Haralson and Logan Imes, who scored 18 and 13 points respectively, but much of that production came in isolation rather than rhythm.
Clemson’s pressure limited second chances and forced difficult looks late in possessions.
Clemson shot 27-of-58 (46.6%) from the field, 7-of-26 (26.9%) from three, and 15-of-18 (83.3%) at the line. Notre Dame finished 20-of-47 (42.6%) overall, 9-of-21 (42.9%) from deep, and 12-of-18 at the stripe.
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This win looked different than the ones that came before it. Clemson didn’t survive another tight finish. It dictated the final stretch.
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The Tigers will look to keep building when they return home to face Boston College on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.
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