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Chase Hunter, back in the starting lineup after limited playing time recently because of illness, scored 20 points and Clemson withstood several threats from North Carolina State for a 68-58 road victory Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

Viktor Lakhin had 13 points and Chauncey Wiggins ended up with 11 points for the Tigers (18-4, 10-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who are a half-game out of first place pending the outcome of Saturday night’s North Carolina-Duke game.

Clemson poured it on with a strong finishing stretch to secure its sixth consecutive victory. The Tigers, who shot 48.1 percent from the field, overcame a scoring drought of more than seven minutes during the first part of the second half.

Dontrez Styles hit six of eight 3-point shots on the way to 24 points for NC State (9-12, 2-8), which lost its sixth game in a row.

Lakhin pulled in 11 rebounds, but NC State held a 38-28 advantage on the boards. Clemson committed only five turnovers.

Styles shot 9-for-14 from the field. Other than Styles, the Wolfpack were 3-for-14 on 3-point attempts.

Styles made two 3-pointers to keep the Wolfpack in it at 55-49 by the five-minute mark.

Then Dillon Hunter scored on a drive and Wiggins followed with a pair of free throws. When Chase Hunter connected for two baskets in a 41-second span, Clemson had soared to a 66-53 lead with 2:28 to play.

Chase Hunter reached the 20-point mark for the seventh time this season.

NC State attempted six free throws in the game. The Wolfpack shot 14-for-38 on 2-point attempts against an aggressive Clemson defense.

NC State led with less than 14 minutes to play until Ian Schieffelin’s tip-in halted Clemson’s rough stretch. Chase Hunter notched six points in a two-minute stretch as the Tigers surged to a 48-41 lead.

Clemson, which hadn’t played in a week, led 34-31 at halftime. The Tigers avenged a one-point home loss from last season.

–Field Level Media