Porter's 21 points push Clemson past Pitt 73-68
There was never much separation, and there was never much comfort.
Clemson grinded out a 73-68 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, navigating a game that never saw a lead grow larger than seven points and featured 14 lead changes across 40 minutes.
It took a little bit of everyone in orange to get it across the finish line.
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The Tigers (12-3, 2-0 ACC) leaned on depth and timely shot-making down the stretch to extend their winning streak over Pitt to 11 years.
Pittsburgh (7-8, 0-2 ACC) hadn’t beaten Clemson since 2014, and while the Panthers threatened to end that run more than once, Clemson’s balance proved just enough.
Depth ultimately shaped how the game unfolded late.
Pitt played four starters more than 34 minutes, and those players combined for 49 of the Panthers’ 68 points.
Clemson countered with fresh bodies, having eight players log 14 or more minutes. The Tigers outscored Pitt’s bench 26-19, a margin that grew more significant as tired legs showed in the final stretch.
That cushion mattered on an afternoon when Clemson made things harder than necessary.
Turnovers were the headline issue.
Clemson entered the game averaging 9.4 per contest and finished with 13, but 12 of those came with more than eight minutes still left. Many were self-inflicted, and Pitt took advantage by pushing in transition, using the mistakes to energize the home crowd at the Petersen Events Center.
What ultimately swung the game was Clemson’s ability to clean it up late.
The Tigers protected the ball down the stretch, limiting Pitt’s transition chances and forcing the Panthers to score in the half court.
Another key adjustment came on the defensive end.
Pitt shot 5-of-6 from three-point range in the first half, building a 35-34 halftime lead.
Clemson responded by tightening its perimeter coverage after the break, holding the Panthers to just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc in the second half. That shift forced Pitt to rely almost exclusively on tired starters creating in the half court.
What steadied Clemson offensively was its interior play.
RJ Godfrey continued one of the most efficient seasons in the ACC, entering the game shooting 64.6% from the field and finishing 5-of-7 for 14 points.
His impact goes beyond the numbers. Godfrey’s physicality and ability to carve out space make him difficult to move, giving Clemson a reliable option down low.
Nick Davidson’s continued growth added another layer.
After taking the first month of the season to adjust to the speed and physicality of the Power Four game, Davidson has found his rhythm in ACC play. He finished with 14 points and was effective as a passer, particularly in Clemson’s high-low actions.
With Davidson and Godfrey both able to score and facilitate, Clemson’s inside-out offense remains difficult to key on. That interior presence forced Pitt to collapse defensively, opening opportunities on the perimeter.
Jestin Porter capitalized, shooting 8-of-12 for a team-high 21 points, including three 3-pointers, and reaching double figures for the seventh time this season.
Clemson didn’t rely on one scorer throughout the game, but Porter’s shot-making stabilized the offense when execution wavered late.
Butta Johnson complemented Porter with 10 points, knocking down three triples of his own while benefiting from the attention drawn inside.
Carter Welling finished with eight points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 29 minutes.
Along with Godfrey and Davidson, Welling gave Clemson a fresh body inside and different offensive looks, allowing the Tigers to maintain their physicality without overextending any one lineup.
That balance, however, still comes with that open-ended question.
In late-game situations, Clemson doesn’t have a clearly defined go-to scorer.
On different nights, it can be Dillon Hunter, Ace Buckner, RJ Godfrey or, as it was against Pitt, Porter.
The options are there, but the hierarchy remains situational rather than instinctive. When margins are comfortable, it’s manageable. In games like this, it leaves little room for error.
For the game, Clemson shot 24-of-45 (53.3%) from the field, 7-of-21 (33.3%) from three and 18-of-25 (72%) from the free-throw line.
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Pittsburgh finished 23-of-52 (44.2%) overall, 6-of-17 (35.3%) from beyond the arc and 16-of-22 (72.7%) at the stripe.
The execution wasn’t always clean, but the identity held. Clemson’s depth and balance was able to navigate a tight game without letting it slip.
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The Tigers will look to carry that formula forward as they return to Littlejohn Coliseum for a 9 p.m. tipoff against SMU on Wednesday, Jan. 7, on ESPNU.
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