Jaeden Zackery scores 19 in overall strong game to lead No. 18 Clemson past SMU 79-69
AP
Feb 22, 2025
DALLAS (AP) Jaeden Zackery had 19 points, including a career-best five 3-pointers before halftime, plus six rebounds, seven assists and five steals to help No. 18 Clemson Tigers beat SMU Mustangs 79-69 Saturday.
Chase Hunter added 17 points and Viktor Lakhin had 16 for the Tigers (22-5, 14-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who are tied for second with Louisville and one-game behind Duke.
Chuck Harris scored 16 points, and Matt Cross and B.J. Edwards had 12 each for the Mustangs (20-7, 11-5).
Clemson ended the first half on a 7-2 run after SMU took its only lead of the game at 30-29, then scored the first nine points of the second half. The Tigers’ largest lead was 18 points.
Clemson: The Tigers tied a program record for conference wins set two years ago. They can match or surpass their highest poll position this season, which was No. 16 in mid-December.
SMU: Boopie Miller, who leads the team averaging 13.4 points and 5.7 assists per game, missed his third consecutive game with a bruised left foot. A win could have vaulted the Mustangs into the Top 25 for the first time since the 2016-17 season. They’re instead 0-3 against ranked teams, losing by an average of 17.3 points.
Zackery’s mid-range miss at the 24-second buzzer early in the second half was rebounded by Lakhin. That led to Hunter’s 3-pointer amid the 9-0 run opening the second half.
Clemson, 61st in Division I averaging nine 3-pointers per game, matched that total with 6:17 left in the half. The Tigers hit 14, matching their season high, on 29 shots.
Clemson will host Notre Dame on Wednesday, when SMU visits California.
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1st Half
CLEM
Tigers
36
SMU
Mustangs
32
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Tigers gains possession)
19:45
Chase Hunter turnover (B.J. Edwards steals)
19:40
Chuck Harris misses three point jump shot
19:38
Matt Cross offensive rebound
19:23
Matt Cross misses three point jump shot
19:21
Viktor Lakhin defensive rebound
19:00
+3
Jaeden Zackery makes three point jump shot (Ian Schieffelin assists)
3-0
18:36
Samet Yiğitoğlu turnover (Jaeden Zackery steals)
18:29
Ian Schieffelin turnover (Chuck Harris steals)
18:22
+2
Matt Cross makes two point layup (Chuck Harris assists)
3-2
18:05
+3
Viktor Lakhin makes three point jump shot (Dillon Hunter assists)
6-2
17:44
Matt Cross misses three point jump shot
17:42
Samet Yiğitoğlu offensive rebound
17:41
+2
Samet Yiğitoğlu makes two point layup
6-4
17:15
Viktor Lakhin misses two point layup
17:13
Matt Cross defensive rebound
17:06
Chuck Harris turnover (Ian Schieffelin steals)
16:53
Chase Hunter misses two point jump shot
16:51
Samet Yiğitoğlu defensive rebound
16:44
+2
Kario Oquendo makes two point jump shot
6-6
16:29
+3
Jaeden Zackery makes three point jump shot (Chase Hunter assists)
9-6
16:07
Chuck Harris turnover (Viktor Lakhin steals)
16:00
Chase Hunter misses two point layup
15:58
Jaeden Zackery offensive rebound
15:55
+3
Chase Hunter makes three point jump shot (Jaeden Zackery assists)
12-6
15:25
Matt Cross misses three point jump shot
15:23
B.J. Edwards offensive rebound
15:22
TV timeout
15:11
+3
Chuck Harris makes three point jump shot
12-9
14:55
+3
Del Jones makes three point jump shot (Dillon Hunter assists)
15-9
14:36
B.J. Edwards misses two point jump shot
14:34
Ian Schieffelin defensive rebound
14:14
Dillon Hunter misses three point jump shot
14:12
Samet Yiğitoğlu defensive rebound
13:58
Kario Oquendo misses three point jump shot
13:56
Samet Yiğitoğlu offensive rebound
13:53
Viktor Lakhin personal foul (Samet Yiğitoğlu draws the foul)
13:39
Chuck Harris turnover (traveling)
13:12
+3
Jaeden Zackery makes three point jump shot (Ian Schieffelin assists)
18-9
12:44
+3
Chuck Harris makes three point jump shot
18-12
12:28
+3
Ian Schieffelin makes three point jump shot (Chase Hunter assists)
21-12
12:11
Chase Hunter blocks B.J. Edwards's two point layup
12:09
Chuck Harris offensive rebound
12:04
Matt Cross offensive foul
12:04
Matt Cross turnover (offensive foul)
11:51
+2
Myles Foster makes two point layup (Del Jones assists)
23-12
11:29
+2
B.J. Edwards makes two point jump shot
23-14
11:10
Chauncey Wiggins misses two point jump shot
11:08
B.J. Edwards defensive rebound
11:01
TV timeout
10:40
+3
Matt Cross makes three point jump shot (Chuck Harris assists)
23-17
10:15
Dillon Hunter misses three point jump shot
10:13
AJ George defensive rebound
9:47
Chase Hunter blocks Chuck Harris's two point layup
9:45
Myles Foster defensive rebound
9:31
+3
Jaeden Zackery makes three point jump shot (Dillon Hunter assists)
26-17
9:12
+3
Matt Cross makes three point jump shot (Jerrell Colbert assists)
26-20
8:46
Chauncey Wiggins turnover (Kario Oquendo steals)
8:36
+2
Jerrell Colbert makes two point layup (Chuck Harris assists)
26-22
8:36
Chauncey Wiggins shooting foul (Jerrell Colbert draws the foul)
8:36
Jerrell Colbert misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:36
Chase Hunter defensive rebound
8:23
Chase Hunter turnover (B.J. Edwards steals)
8:22
Viktor Lakhin personal foul
8:10
Chauncey Wiggins personal foul
8:03
Kario Oquendo turnover (out of bounds)
7:45
Jake Heidbreder turnover (AJ George steals)
7:43
Myles Foster personal foul
7:43
TV timeout
7:32
+2
AJ George makes two point jump shot (Samet Yiğitoğlu assists)
26-24
7:03
Chuck Harris blocks Ian Schieffelin's two point layup
7:02
Chuck Harris defensive rebound
6:49
+2
Chuck Harris makes two point jump shot (B.J. Edwards assists)
26-26
6:16
+3
Ian Schieffelin makes three point jump shot (Jaeden Zackery assists)
29-26
5:49
Myles Foster personal foul
5:40
Jaeden Zackery blocks Chuck Harris's two point jump shot
5:38
Samet Yiğitoğlu offensive rebound
5:31
Samet Yiğitoğlu misses two point layup
5:31
Samet Yiğitoğlu offensive rebound
5:30
Samet Yiğitoğlu misses two point layup
5:30
Keon Ambrose-Hylton offensive rebound
5:30
Keon Ambrose-Hylton misses two point layup
5:30
Samet Yiğitoğlu offensive rebound
5:30
Samet Yiğitoğlu misses two point layup
5:30
AJ George offensive rebound
5:30
AJ George turnover (Jaeden Zackery steals)
5:09
Dillon Hunter misses two point jump shot
5:07
Keon Ambrose-Hylton defensive rebound
4:54
Chuck Harris misses three point jump shot
4:52
Jaeden Zackery defensive rebound
4:32
Chase Hunter misses three point jump shot
4:30
B.J. Edwards defensive rebound
4:11
+2
Keon Ambrose-Hylton makes two point layup (Kario Oquendo assists)
29-28
4:03
Tigers 30 second timeout
4:03
TV timeout
3:39
Kario Oquendo shooting foul (Dillon Hunter draws the foul)
3:39
Dillon Hunter misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:39
Dillon Hunter misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:39
B.J. Edwards defensive rebound
3:22
Samet Yiğitoğlu misses two point jump shot
3:20
Dillon Hunter defensive rebound
3:11
Jaeden Zackery misses two point jump shot
3:09
Ian Schieffelin offensive rebound
2:52
Chase Hunter misses three point jump shot
2:50
Chuck Harris defensive rebound
2:35
+2
B.J. Edwards makes two point layup
29-30
2:14
+2
Chase Hunter makes two point jump shot
31-30
1:51
B.J. Edwards misses three point jump shot
1:49
Ian Schieffelin defensive rebound
1:38
+2
Myles Foster makes two point layup (Chase Hunter assists)
33-30
1:36
Mustangs 30 second timeout
1:14
Chase Hunter personal foul (Samet Yiğitoğlu draws the foul)
1:14
Samet Yiğitoğlu misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:14
Myles Foster defensive rebound
0:57
+3
Jaeden Zackery makes three point jump shot (Dillon Hunter assists)
36-30
0:39
+2
B.J. Edwards makes two point jump shot
36-32
0:18
Myles Foster misses three point jump shot
0:16
B.J. Edwards defensive rebound
0:01
AJ George misses three point jump shot
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
CLEM
Tigers
43
SMU
Mustangs
37
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:46
+2
Chase Hunter makes two point jump shot (Viktor Lakhin assists)
38-32
19:37
Chuck Harris turnover (back court violation)
19:29
Samet Yiğitoğlu personal foul (Chase Hunter draws the foul)
19:09
Jaeden Zackery misses two point jump shot
19:07
Viktor Lakhin offensive rebound
19:01
+3
Chase Hunter makes three point jump shot (Dillon Hunter assists)
41-32
19:01
Mustangs 30 second timeout
19:01
TV timeout
18:29
Matt Cross misses three point jump shot
18:27
Jaeden Zackery defensive rebound
18:19
Kario Oquendo blocks Jaeden Zackery's two point layup
18:17
Viktor Lakhin offensive rebound
18:14
+2
Viktor Lakhin makes two point layup
43-32
17:49
Jaeden Zackery blocks Kario Oquendo's two point layup
17:47
Jaeden Zackery defensive rebound
17:37
Samet Yiğitoğlu personal foul (Ian Schieffelin draws the foul)
17:18
Samet Yiğitoğlu blocks Viktor Lakhin's two point layup
17:17
Viktor Lakhin offensive rebound
17:17
Samet Yiğitoğlu shooting foul (Viktor Lakhin draws the foul)
17:17
+1
Viktor Lakhin makes regular free throw 1 of 2
44-32
17:17
+1
Viktor Lakhin makes regular free throw 2 of 2
45-32
16:55
Dillon Hunter personal foul (Chuck Harris draws the foul)
16:43
Jaeden Zackery personal foul (Jerrell Colbert draws the foul)
16:37
+3
B.J. Edwards makes three point jump shot
45-35
16:28
Jerrell Colbert personal foul (Viktor Lakhin draws the foul)
16:21
+2
Ian Schieffelin makes two point layup (Del Jones assists)
47-35
16:16
Mustangs 30 second timeout
16:16
TV timeout
16:09
Del Jones personal foul
15:59
Ian Schieffelin personal foul (Matt Cross draws the foul)
15:51
Myles Foster shooting foul (AJ George draws the foul)
15:51
+1
AJ George makes regular free throw 1 of 2
47-36
15:51
+1
AJ George makes regular free throw 2 of 2
47-37
15:34
Jaeden Zackery misses three point jump shot
15:32
B.J. Edwards defensive rebound
15:27
Matt Cross turnover (lost ball) (Jaeden Zackery steals)
