Not dead yet

This felt like N.C. State.

It also felt like the end of NCAA Tournament hopes that were bleak to begin with.

Three days earlier in Raleigh, the Tigers squandered a first-half opportunity to put the Wolfpack away and then gave up control of the game in the second half of an eight-point defeat.

Late in the first half Sunday at Miami, Clemson was up seven and seemed poised to take a double-figure lead into the locker room. But then the Tigers slipped up with two turnovers in the final two minutes, and the Hurricanes trimmed the margin to just one entering halftime.

And then, a while later, Malcolm Grant hits a 3 from the top of the key to put Miami up two with less than six minutes left. Then, at the 4:50 mark, Grant drains another 3. And this time he's fouled by Demontez Stitt in the process. He hits the free throw, and Clemson is down four.

It felt like Clemson was down eight or 10. Go ahead, admit you didn't have much hope of the Tigers winning at that point.

This win was achieved through an assortment of ways, with no dominant theme emerging. The most impressive thing about it was the Tigers' refusal to go down late when their chances seemed to be spiraling down the drain, just like N.C. State.

Brad Brownell said afterward that it had been a difficult two days since the loss in Raleigh. He spoke of hard practices and a lot of meetings, measures taken when the season is starting to turn sour at the worst possible time.

A three-game losing streak doesn't look good this time of year, and that's what the Tigers were facing after that close home loss to North Carolina and the depressing outcome at N.C. State. Those two defeats demonstrated how quickly emotions can turn this time of year, because the outlook appeared bright after Brownell's team disposed of Boston College in impressive fashion at home on Feb. 8.

You lose three straight games in mid-to-late February, and you lose the benefit of the doubt that you need if you're lucky enough to play your way onto the NCAA bubble.

The most memorable plays of yesterday's win were Jerai Grant's block of Durand Scott with 22 seconds left, Andre Young's big 3 with 2:05 left, and the big free throws by Young and Stitt on the way to an 18-of-21 night from the line.

But some of the earlier plays that put the Tigers in position to win were just as vital.

Stitt produced two of them. When Miami was up 44-39 and the Tigers were losing their grip on the offensive end, he put himself in the post and rose high for a bucket while being fouled. He hit the free throw, and the Tigers were down just two with 8:59 on the clock.

Not long thereafter, Malcolm Grant hit a 3 that put Miami up 50-48. Stitt responded by attacking the basket, slicing through in transition for a field goal that knotted the score at 50.

Another one that stands out is a defensive play made by Cory Stanton, and you can't forget Clemson's defense in a game in which Miami committed 16 turnovers and got off just 39 shots.

Malcolm Grant had just converted the monstrous four-point play, and Clemson seemed to be coming apart on the other end. Reggie Johnson volleyball-spiked a Stitt drive into the seats, the sound echoing across the lethargic arena. Then Young had to force a long 3-pointer to beat the shot clock, and it missed.

Miami has the ball, is up four, and less than four minutes are on the clock. If the Hurricanes score here, could be ballgame.

That's when Stanton dug down into the lane and caused a turnover by swatting the ball from a post guy. Clemson regained possession, and Grant scored with 3:35 left to make it 54-52. The shot seemed to have a calming influence on the Tigers.

On the other end, Tanner Smith fouled Adrian Thomas and Thomas missed the front end of a one-and-one.

The Tigers had hope. Their chances of winning -- and getting into the NCAA Tournament -- weren't dead yet.

LW