After their second straight overtime game, the Clemson Tigers were back at home hoping for a rebound.

The last two games for the Tigers have certainly been trying, as they lost in overtime to the Memphis Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Heading into the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Clemson was desperate to get back in the win column, and they did just that.

Although it was another slow offensive start for the Tigers, they recovered well in the first half.

Clemson finished the first half with a strong offensive performance with 40 points. The Tigers scored six three-pointers in the half and built a comfortable nine-point lead after 20 minutes.

Jake Heidbreder led Clemson in scoring in the first half as he scored a total of 13 points off the bench. After a strong game against the Gamecocks, the junior guard’s workload is starting to increase a bit.

The Tigers didn’t let up in the second half and secured a comfortable 11-point win at home. The win featured a balanced attack for Clemson as five players scored in double figures.

As always, the three-point line proved crucial in the game. The Tigers won the battle from beyond the arc with a shooting percentage of 32.1 percent compared to 23.1 percent against the Demon Deacons.

Chase Hunter led Clemson with 16 points on very efficient 5-for-9 shooting from distance, which included 4-for-7 from distance.

The Tigers are proving to be one of the best defensive teams in the country heading into this season, which will bode well for them moving forward.

Overall, Clemson will finish the calendar year with a record of 10-3. A few nice conference wins in 2025 should give them some momentum.

The Tigers may not be the prettiest team to watch on the offensive side of the ball at times, but their defense will be a problem for teams in the ACC. After the new year, when conference play really gets going, Clemson will be one of the favorites in the conference thanks to its strong defensive mentality.

Next up for the Tigers is a long break at the start of the new year. When they return from break, they will face the Stanford Cardinal on New Year’s Day.