CLEMSON, S.C. – Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup against Kentucky Basketball, the Clemson athletics department decided to do a t-shirt advertisement. Only the first 1,000 students to arrive at Littlejohn Coliseum on Tuesday would receive a shirt.

Emblazoned on the front of the black jersey, which featured a basketball and Clemson’s iconic tiger paw logo (in white), was the phrase: “GRIT After Dark.”

The Wildcats was grim. But not as tough as the Tigers. As you might expect, that wasn’t a recipe for success for No. 6 Kentucky in its first true road game of the 2024-25 season.

Despite leading for more than 15 minutes on Tuesday, UK was not at the top of the scoresheet at the final whistle as Clemson won 70-66, handing the visitors their first loss under new coach Mark Pope.

“It was a really physical game. That’s a credit to them,” Pope said, referring to the Tigers. “That’s how they play. Their big guys are tireless with their physicality to get the ball into the post.”