Viktor Lakhin scored 22 points, Clemson held Player of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg in check for most of the game and the Tigers defeated No. 2 Duke 77-71 on Saturday night to snap the Blue Devils’ 16-game winning streak.
Chase Hunter scored 14 points and Ian Schieffelin added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Clemson (19-5, 11-2 ACC). The Tigers ended the Blue Devils’ chances of an unbeaten regular season in the Atlantic Coast Conference and denied the Blue Devils (20-3, 12-1) an opportunity to take over the top ranking in the country for the first time in the coach Jon Scheyer era.
No. 1 Auburn lost 90-81 to No. 6 Florida earlier in the day, opening the door for Duke to claim the top spot with a win.