CLEMSON, S.C. — Marcquise Reed had 20 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer after No. 20 Clemson blew a 16-point lead, and the Tigers ended a 10-game losing streak to North Carolina with an 82-78 victory over the 19th-ranked Tar Heels.
The Tigers (18-4, 7-3) were up 44-28 at the half and looked like they would cruise to their first win over the Tar Heels (16-7, 5-5) since January 2010. Instead, Cameron Johnson and Joel Berry II rallied UNC back, with Berry’s jumper tying it at 74 with 2:03 to play.
That’s when Reed struck with his 3 from the left side to put Clemson ahead for good. Reed rebounded Johnson’s miss moments later, and Elijah Thomas made an inside shot to go up 79-74.
North Carolina has its first three-game losing streak since the 2013-14 season.
Clemson fans rushed the court after the school’s second win over North Carolina since March 2004.
Gabe DeVoe had 17 points, including five of Clemson’s season high 15 3-pointers.
Johnson had a career-high 32 points while Berry had 27, 19 of those coming in the second half.
The Tar Heels played almost all of the game without starting forward Theo Pinson, who strained his left shoulder when he crashed hard to the court going for a rebound.
