Clemson’s Schieffelin Stars in Historic Victory Over Notre Dame

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — No. 13 Clemson clinched a historic victory on Wednesday night, defeating Notre Dame 83-68 at home. The triumph marked the Tigers’ 15th Atlantic Coast Conference win this season, setting a new program record. Ian Schieffelin led the offense with a career-high 24 points and nine rebounds, propelling Clemson to a strong lead.

Schieffelin’s performance was crucial as he scored four consecutive baskets when the Tigers were struggling, helping to push them to a 41-31 halftime advantage. Notre Dame could not recover from the deficit, as they fell to 12-16 overall and 6-11 in conference play.

Clemson (23-5, 15-2 ACC) surpassed its previous season record of 14 conference wins, which was set two years ago. Schieffelin, a 6-foot-8 senior, eclipsed his previous best of 23 points, which he set earlier this month.

“It feels great to set a new record for the program,” Schieffelin said. “We worked hard all season, and it’s nice to see it pay off in such an important game.”

The Tigers also received significant contributions from Viktor Lakhin, who added 18 points, while Markus Burton led the Irish with a game-high 30 points. Clemson managed to overcome a rough shooting start, missing 12 straight attempts at one point in the first half.

“We had to dig deep after a tough stretch,” Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. “Ian really stepped up when we needed him most. This win gives us momentum as we head into March.”

Notre Dame’s February woes continued, as they have now lost six of their last seven games. The Irish struggled to maintain a presence in the paint, with Schieffelin dominating early with 16 points and six rebounds in the first half.

The game featured a noticeable turnaround for Clemson as they rallied after their shooting slump. Their consistency will be vital moving forward into the postseason, especially after a strong showing last year that led them to the Elite Eight.

Clemson’s next challenge is against Virginia, while Notre Dame will head to Wake Forest on Saturday.