UNC pounds Clemson as Tigers drop third straight game

Clemson is out of first place in the ACC for the first time this season after falling 91-71 at North Carolina Saturday afternoon.

The Tar Heels played like the ACC favorites that they were heading into the year, knocking down 15 3-pointers in their 20-point win.

Caleb Love led the way for UNC, finishing with 23 points, while making 6 of his 9 3-point attempts. Love has now topped the 20-point mark in three of the past four games.

“They played great today,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “We knew today they were going to be highly motivated and on point and play with great energy and togetherness and they did. They shot the fire out of the ball, which helps.”

While UNC’s top guard had his way with Clemson, the Tigers’ best guard struggled for the third straight game.

Chase Hunter finished with 15 points but was only 3 of 16 from the field and 1 of 8 from 3-point range.

Over the past three games — all Clemson losses — Hunter is 10 of 42 from the field and 1-16 from 3-point range.

“I think he’s taken a few tough shots. He’s settling,” Brownell said. ” And then I think there’s just a few at the rim that he’s gotta make that he’s not making. There’s no other way to say it.”

In addition to Love, Armando Bacot (19) and RJ Davis (17) also scored in double figures.

Bacot added 11 rebounds, including five offensive boards. North Carolina grabbed 11 offensive rebounds as a team and turned the ball over 7 times, compared to 13 for Clemson.

UNC led by 9 at the break and quickly pushed its lead to 16 less than two minutes into the second half.

The Tar Heels took their largest lead at 80-55 with 5:08 remaining, before Brownell pulled the Clemson starters.

“In the second half we did not play well. They came out and started well and we got out of character. … Tried to do too much 1-on-1 and did not play very well and it snowballed on us,” Brownell said. “I need to look at what we did defensively. We weren’t very good and some of that’s gotta be my fault. I’ve gotta do better with that.”

With the loss, Clemson falls to 10-4 in the ACC and is one game back of first place.

The Tigers return to action on Wednesday, hosting Florida State at 7 p.m.