NCAAB Game Recap - Jacksonville at Clemson
Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:00 PM EST

CenCT
58
PSU
87
F
MtStM
48
Navy
59
F
Akr
62
Tul
61
F
Drex
72
Quin
63
F
Lib
66
Tows
54
F
Eccle
71
Alc
122
F
N AL
80
AlaAM
92
F
BGSU
67
Norf
72
F(OT)
Lipsco
63
Vermt
86
F
Bingha
53
Pitt
79
F
Maine
53
UMass
74
F
Del
75
LIU
82
F(OT)
SMU
85
UGA
87
F(2OT)
JMU
75
Ford
69
F
Furm
64
Mercer
62
F
N CO
87
SDak
68
F
UCIrv
67
IL-C
76
F
NDSU
68
Marq
82
F
JU
39
Clem
68
F
IUPUI
64
Fres
95
F
South
68
UCSB
77
F
MsVl
71
SCla
100
F

Dec 20, 2019, 9:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

Jacksonville

28

11

39

Clemson

37

31

68

Clemson ends losing streak with 68-39 win over Jacksonville
Fri Dec 20, 2019 11:51 PM

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Clemson got two things it desperately needed - the return of point guard Clyde Trapp and its first victory in almost a month.

Aamir Simms scored 18 points as Clemson ended a four-game losing steak with a 68-39 victory over Jacksonville on Friday night.

Curran Scott, a graduate transfer from Tulsa, added a season-high 15 points for the Tigers (6-5), who had not tasted a win since defeating TCU 62-60 nearly four weeks ago.

While Trapp scored only four points in 12 minutes, the junior leader's return from an ACL injury six months ago was a welcome sight as the Tigers (6-5) had to cobble together a backcourt with freshmen Al-Amir Dawes and Chase Hunter.

“All through the process, I just tried to be a great leader," Trapp said. “It's rough coming in and not being able to play 30 minutes a game. I just tried to be there for them."

Trapp's presence seemed enough to push Clemson to a fast start against the Dolphins.

Simms stepped up as the Tigers opened a 13-6 lead as he, Johnny Newman III and Tevin Mack all hit 3-pointers.

When Jacksonville (7-7) tightened things to 15-12, the Tigers again got going from long range with a 17-8 run that included another 3 each from Simms and Scott. When Dawes hit a bucket from behind the arc, Clemson was up 32-20 with less than five minutes left in the opening half.

Kevin Norman scored Jacksonville's first 10 points in the opening five minutes. He was held scoreless by Clemson the rest of the period as the Tigers took control.

Things continued going Clemson's way in the second half as Jacksonville could not overcome the team's tight defense.

The Tigers held Jacksonville to 11 points in the second half, the fewest points scored by an opponent in the period in coach Brad Brownell's 10 seasons.

Brownell said Trapp was a steadying presence on the court. “He just kind of settles our team,” the coach said. “He's a guy who just kind of knows what we're looking for and understands how we want to do some things.”

Tevin Mack had seven points and a game-best 11 rebounds for Clemson.

The Dolphins shot less than 18% (5-of-28) the final 20 minutes and made only one of 14 3-pointers taken in the period.

Jacksonville missed its final 10 shots and was held scoreless the final 7:56 of the game.

Jacksonville was without senior starter - and Ohio State transfer - in 6-foot-10 David Bell, who was limited in shoot around because of several bumps and bruises, according to the team.

Bell had hit for double figure points and rebounds his previous four games.

Destin Barnes, the Dolphins' leading scorer this season at nearly 12 points a game, was held to half his average with six points on 2-of-5 shooting.

Norman led the Dolphins with 16 points.

“We missed some shots that allowed them to kind of stretch their lead,” Dolphins coach Tony Jesick said. “We'd come down miss, go down and play a good defensive possession, give up an offensive rebound and (they'd) score.”

BIG PICTURE

Jacksonville: The Dolphins need all their pieces to contend against Clemson, the team's lone Power Five Conference opponent this season. Without Bell, the Tigers were able to take charge underneath with Simms.

Clemson: The Tigers got a boost with the return of point guard Clyde Trapp after a serious knee injury. Trapp had four points in 12 minutes. If he can stay healthy, he'll be an experienced hand heading into the meat of the Atlantic Coast Conference season.

CURRAN EVENTS

Clemson's Brownell believes that Trapp's return will help his rotation, including having Curran Scott concentrate on shooting guard instead of bringing the ball up. Scott's 15 points were the most he's scored for the Tigers and Brownell thinks he'll be even more effective when Trapp can go for longer stretches.

LEARNING LESSONS

Jacksonville coach Tony Jasick said his team played hard against their lone Power Five opponent, despite its most lopsided loss this season. “Can't really fault our team's effort. They came out and competed and we can certainly grow from that," he said.

UP NEXT

Jacksonville has a 10-day break before playing South Carolina State at home on Dec. 30.

Clemson plays the third game of a five-game homestand against Yale on Sunday.

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For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Jacksonville PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
K. Norman 16 0 2 4 1 0
D. McCallum 10 0 1 2 0 0
Clemson PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
A. Simms 18 0 0 5 1 1
C. Scott 15 0 2 2 1 0

Team Comparison

JU Clem
Points For 39 68
Field Goals 14/55-25% 25/57-44%
Three Pointers 7/31-23% 8/28-29%
Free Throws 4/7-57% 10/13-77%
Offensive Rebounds 8 9
Defensive Rebounds 24 34
Rebounds 34 44
Blocks 0 2
Steals 5 3
Turnovers 12 8
Personal Fouls 11 7
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2019-20 Reg Season - Clem Leads Series 1-0

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Fri Dec 20 JU 39 @ Clem 68 K. Norman 16 A. Simms 18

Game Information

Stadium: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, South Carolina
Attendance: 5,632
Game Time: