January 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Clemson Tigers guard Jestin Porter (1), forward RJ Godfrey (0) and forward Dallas Thomas (8) celebrate after a win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesSeniors Nick Davidson and Butta Johnson each scored 15 points in Clemson’s 79-76 win over visiting Georgia Tech in Atlantic Coast Conference action Saturday afternoon.
Carter Welling added 13 points as the Tigers (22-9, 12-6 ACC) trailed by 10 points over the final 16 minutes to sweep the Yellow Jackets.
Ace Buckner hit two free throws with 3.2 seconds left in the game to bounce back after losing five of the previous six games against Clemson, which scored all 10 points in the second half.
As a No. 5 seed, the Tigers advance to the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday night in Charlotte. They will face the winner of the opening match between the 12th and 13th seeds.
Jaden Mustaf scored a career-high 28 points to lead Georgia Tech (11-20, 2-16), which ended the season on a 12-game losing streak. This is the Yellow Jackets’ longest losing streak since the 1980-81 season.
Kowacie Reeves Jr. scored 20 points and Akai Fleming added 18 for Georgia Tech, which finished last in the conference. The ACC Tournament excludes the league’s bottom three finishers.
Early in the second half, Mustaf scored on a driving scoop shot to give Georgia Tech its largest lead of the game, 47-37.
But Clemson retaliated with an 11-point performance, which Welling sparked with a 3-pointer and a jump hook. Johnson hit a 3-pointer and a 3-point play from the corner 3 to give the Tigers their first lead since the opening period at 48-47.
It stayed close until the final buzzer sounded. Reeves gave the Yellow Jackets their final lead at 67-66 with a 3-pointer with 5:10 left.
Johnson hit the Tigers’ last two field goals, hitting a baseline floater and a corner 3-pointer with 1:38 left.
Clemson, which started five seniors for the first time this season, took a 14-8 lead when Davidson hit a pair of 3-pointers.
But when coach Brad Brownell returned to his usual rotation after the first media timeout, the unit struggled, missing seven straight shots and committing three turnovers as Georgia Tech went on a 12-point run.
By winning his final home game, Dillon Hunter earned 93 wins, tying him for the second-most wins by a player in Clemson history. His older brother, Chase Hunter, who finished his career last season, leads the team with 110 wins.
– Field level media
