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Clemson knocks off No. 22 Virginia

Feb 15, 2012 - 3:05 AM Clemson, SC (Sports Network) - Tanner Smith and Andre Young scored 13 points apiece, helping the Clemson Tigers beat the visiting 22nd-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, 60-48, Tuesday night.

Devin Booker supplied all 10 of his points in the second half for Clemson (13-12, 5-6 ACC), which snapped a three-game losing streak with Saturday's win at Wake Forest.

"It was a great team win tonight," said Tigers head coach Brad Brownell. "I thought our guys really competed. Virginia is so fundamentally sound and in good position, so your effort has to be supreme. I challenged our guys at halftime that we couldn't let this opportunity get away from us. We were in position to beat this team tonight, and we needed to take advantage of it. I thought our guys came out very spirited and played very well."

Jontel Evans led all scorers with 17 points, but the Cavaliers (19-6, 6-5) fell to 1-3 since notching a victory over Clemson on January 31.

Virginia has lost consecutive games for the first time this season.

The Tigers trailed on two occasions in the early stages of the second half, but a Devin Coleman jumper put them in front for good at 29-28.

When Evans completed a three-point play at the foul line, Virginia had cut the deficit to 42-39 with just under nine minutes to play. But Clemson responded with a 10-2 surge and went up 52-41 on Booker's layup with 2:54 remaining.

The Tigers' advantage remained 11 a minute later after Smith made two free throws.

Coleman finished with nine points for Clemson, which has won three straight over Virginia at Littlejohn Coliseum by a combined 53 points.

"When you're in a game that's low scoring, possessions really matter," said Virginia head coach Tony Bennett. "Whether it's a turnover on our end or we make a defensive mistake, those possessions hurt and sting."

Clemson scored 19 points off 18 Virginia turnovers.

Neither team led by more than four in a first half that ended with the scored tied at 24.

Game Notes

The home team has won the last six meetings in the series...Mike Scott posted 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers...Virginia's Joe Harris had just two points on 1-of-5 shooting. The sophomore fractured a bone in his left hand in Saturday's loss at North Carolina.