Buckner nets 20, Faulkner adds 16, Clemson opens season with 85-72 win over Stetson

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Ace Buckner scored 20 points, Dylan Faulkner had a double-double and Clemson raced past Stetson 85-72 on Monday night in the season opener.

Faulkner, a transfer from Samford, had 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting, 11 rebounds, five assists, two block and a steal for the Tigers. Cole Certa, a Notre Dame transfer, had 13 points and six assists. Liutauras Lelevicius (TCU) also had 13 points and David Fuchs (San Francisco) added 12.

Collin Kuhl scored 20 points to lead Stetson and Magnus Entenmann added 16.

The Tigers shot 51%, outscored the Hatters by 11 at the foul line and only committed one turnover to lead 49-24 at the half.

A 3-pointer by Chase Thompson to end a 7-0 run put the lead at 17-7 and after a Stetson 3, the Tigers scored seven more that included a 3 from Lelevicius to put the lead in double figures for good. Then Clemson closed the half with 12-straight points as Stetson missed seven-straight shots.

The Hatters shot 57% (20 of 35) to outscore the Tigers 85-72 in the second half but never got closer than 15 until the final minute when Bankston Pourchier scored the last five points. Stetson outscored Clemson in the paint 34-10 in the second half and had a 44-30 advantage for the game.

But Stetson was just 8 of 9 from the foul line while the Tigers were 26 of 35.

Up next

Stetson: At South Carolina on Tuesday.

Clemson: Home against American on Friday.

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