Booker Hurt; Tigers Fall to Miami

Trevor Booker went down with what appears to be a left ankle sprain in a 75-72 loss to Miami.

Jack McClinton scored 16 points, including three dramatic 3-pointers, as Miami defeated Clemson 75-72 on Sunday.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Hurricanes (15-4, 2-3). McClinton hit three consecutive 3-pointers over a 1:23 span late as Miami rallied from a six-point deficit. McClinton's third 3-pointer with 1:07 left gave the Hurricanes the lead for good, 66-65.

Lance Hurdle converted two free throws with 50.5 and 31.7 left, increasing Miami's lead to 70-65. After Brian Asbury and Demontez Stitt traded free throws with 26.6 and 25.3 left respectively, Stitt's field goal with 16.3 remaining cut Miami's advantage to 72-69. But Asbury secured the victory with two free throws with 14.6 left.

Stitt led the Tigers (15-5, 3-3) with 15 points, while James Mays finished with 14. Dwayne Collins led Miami with 18 points.

Clemson trailed during nearly the entire first half, but overcame a 12-point deficit with an 18-4 spurt late. Raymond Sykes' field goal with 3:19 remaining capped the run and gave the Tigers a 30-29 lead, their first since a 1-0 advantage on K.C. Rivers' free throw 24 seconds into the game.

Rivers' third consecutive 3-pointer tied the game 35-35 with 47 seconds remaining in the half before Brian Asbury converted on two free throws with 14 seconds left, giving Miami a 37-35 halftime lead.

Clemson had a strong start in the opening minutes of the second half. Cliff Hammonds' field goal with 6:34 remaining in the second half gave the Tigers a 59-53 lead.

James Mays scored two field goals and Hammonds and Terrence Oglesby each hit 3-pointers during a 10-0 run as Clemson built a 49-45 lead with 5:22 remaining in the second half. But the Tiger's couldn't hold on to it.

Trevor Booker, Clemson's second-leading scorer, went down with an ankle injury midway through the first half and did not return.

He came in pregame warmups for the second half but never returned to the court for action. He could be seen on the bench wearing an ice pack around his ankle.

The Tigers' next home game is Saturday night at home against Boston College.