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Reed scores two of his 24 points, the highest game of the match (Photo by Josh Kelly)
CLEMSON – Survive and advance.
Marcquise Reed scored 24 points and Clemson managed to defeat a determined effort by Wright St. to win the first leg of the NIT first round on Tuesday night at the Littlejohn Coliseum by a score of 75-69.
The Tigers will face the winner of Wednesday's first-round match between Furman No. 3 and Wichita Street No. 6. The time and date have not been announced.
Eljiah Thomas added 16 points, David Skara added 15 points and Clyde Trapp scored 10 while four Tigers scored two digits. Departure guard Shelton Mitchell (knee) did not play. Trapp scored eight of his 10 points in a critical second half, while Thomas scored 12 in the second half.
Clemson improves to 20-13 with the win, while the Wright St. season ends with a record of 21-14.
The Tigers took a 16-2 lead in the first six minutes of the game. Reed scored six of the first eight points of the game while Clemson led 8-2, then Clyde Trapp and John Newman hit at 3 points as the Tigers took the 14 points in advance.
Wright St came back roaring, though. Clemson led 27-18 at 8:18, then entered one of his patented draft droughts. The Tigers passed six minutes without a point and the Huskies scored 15-2 to take a 33-29 lead with just over a minute at halftime.
Reed led the track to end the drought and score 33-31, before hitting a jumper back off the track with a few seconds to go and the teams were tied at 33-33 at # 39; intermission.
The Tigers took a brief lead after the break, but Wright St. continued to fight and a check at 13:55 gave the Raiders their biggest lead of the night at 47-41. Needing a spark, Trapp hit a runner in the lane, Reed hit two free throws and Skara made three shots in the corner as Clemson took a 48-47 lead.
Cole Gentry, from Wright Street, responded with a 3 pointers to give the Raiders (50-48) the advantage, but Reed managed a long-range shot from the top of the key that allowed the Tigers to come back in the lead at 51-50 at 11:50 to play in the match. Wright's Skyelar Potter was called for a blatant foul on Thomas, who hit one of the free throws for a 52-50 lead. Thomas then hit with a small hook to the left of the glass for a 54-50 Tiger lead.
The teams then swapped their baskets in the next minutes and Wright St. led 62-60 when Reed was fouled on 3 pointers. He hit all three free throws and Trapp followed him with three deep passes that give Clemson a 66-62 lead with 3:18 to play.
The Raiders scored 3 points and stole the ball at Reed after a rebound in the 68-67, then the teams traded passes before Thomas hit two free throws that gave Clemson the lead 72-69 with a little more than a minute left.
Wright St. quickly missed two free throws with 46 seconds remaining and Reed's runner down the hall with 18 seconds remaining to bounce off the edge. However, Newman was at fault on the play. He hit one of his free throws, but the Tigers held off the Raiders for the win.
The game featured a number of experimental rules, including the extension of the 3-point line to FIBA's international rules (22 feet, 1.75 inches), the free throw track being widened to 16 feet (rules NBA), the shot clock being reset to 20 seconds an offensive rebound and team fouls taking the mark at 10 minutes of each half (one and one free shots eliminated).
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