No. 20 Clemson escapes Maples Pavilion with 66-64 win over Stanford
Nick Davidson came home and delivered when Clemson needed him most.
With the game tied and 23 seconds left Wednesday night at Stanford, Davidson stood at the free-throw line in front of his mother and extended family, home again and holding the game in his hands.
No. 20 Clemson (19-4, 9-1) escaped Maples Pavilion with a 66–64 win, and it was decided right there.
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After Clemson’s best defensive possession of the night, Davidson wrestled down a rebound in traffic and drew a foul in a 62-all game.
With no field goals from either side in more than three minutes, points had become precious. Davidson didn’t flinch.
He knocked down both free throws, then watched Ace Buckner close it out moments later from the line.
This one wasn’t pretty. It didn’t need to be.
Clemson didn’t make a field goal after the 4:01 mark.
Stanford (14-9, 3-7) went more than three minutes late without scoring. Both offenses looked like they were fighting their legs as much as the opposing defense.
Jet lag was real for the Tigers. Late-game execution was not.
What Clemson had was composure, defensive connectivity and a bench that never blinked.
Davidson finished with a team-high 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting, adding seven rebounds, but the box score only tells part of the story.
His production came in the margins.
He opened the second half by igniting an 8–0 run with effort plays.
A tip-in through contact, a finish off the glass, a steady presence when Stanford briefly looked poised to take control. He has leaned into his role as a stabilizer for Clemson’s second line, and it showed again when the game slowed to a crawl.
That presence was a major reason Clemson’s bench outscored Stanford’s 41–34, a quiet but decisive edge in a game decided by possessions rather than runs.
Later, when Clemson needed composure rather than creativity, he provided it again at the line.
That theme ran throughout the night.
Clemson’s starters battled foul trouble and inconsistency, but the bench quietly swung the game.
Freshman Chase Thompson gave Clemson its most reliable offensive spark, playing with confidence and aggression well beyond anything the Tigers have seen from him this season.
Thompson scored a career-high 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, attacking gaps, finishing through contact and never looking rushed. His 18 minutes mattered, especially as Carter Welling and RJ Godfrey navigated foul trouble and Stanford tried to push the pace.
Stanford shot 24-of-60 (40 percent) from the field and 9-of-28 (32.1 percent) from three. Clemson didn’t overwhelm the Cardinal physically or statistically, but it consistently made offense uncomfortable, particularly when it mattered most.
Buckner’s impact showed up everywhere – including, but not limited to, the box score.
He finished with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting, but it was everything else that defined his night.
His defense late, including the stop that led to Davidson’s decisive free throws, and his calm finish at the line sealed the win. Buckner continues to earn trust with his off-ball growth and situational awareness, and it showed in the game’s biggest moments.
Godfrey added nine points and continued to show how far his offensive game has come, creating space for himself in the lane and drawing fouls with purpose. Staying out of foul trouble remains the next step.
Jestin Porter was ice cold shooting 2-of-10 tonight, adding eight points for the Tigers
This wasn’t Clemson’s sharpest performance. The offense stalled. The execution wasn’t perfect. But winning on the road in the ACC rarely is.
Clemson shot 21-of-46 (45.7%) from the floor and 7-of-17 (41.2%) from three. The Tigers won the paint battle grabbing 34 rebounds to Stanford’s 30, and more importantly, made 17 of their 22 free throws.
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When the game tightened, Clemson didn’t chase shots. It trusted its structure.
That trust is becoming a defining trait. Even on a night when both teams went scoreless from the field down the stretch, Clemson never looked rattled. It defended. It rebounded. It made free throws.
It’s a familiar formula, and one that continues to travel well.
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Clemson will stay out west for a matchup at Cal on Saturday, Feb. 7, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
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