Clemson Tigers Lose Third Straight Game to Wake Forest

Tigers fall behind early and can't recover in 85-77 loss to Demon Deacons

Feb. 23, 2026 at 8:07pm

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The Clemson Tigers lost their third straight game, falling 85-77 to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Wednesday night. Clemson fell behind by as much as 20 points in the first half and couldn't recover despite a late push. The loss marks the first time since the 2023-24 season that the Tigers have dropped three games in a row.

Why it matters

Clemson's recent struggles have raised questions about the team's ability to compete at a high level in the ACC. The Tigers have fallen behind early in multiple games, and head coach Brad Brownell acknowledged that the team may need to make lineup changes to address their slow starts.

The details

Clemson struggled to keep up with Wake Forest's fast-paced offense in the first half, falling behind 66.7% shooting from the field and 50% from three-point range. The Tigers fought back to cut the deficit to six points, but couldn't overcome the early hole. Brownell said the team's lack of energy and enthusiasm to compete was a factor in the loss.

  • Clemson has lost three straight games, the first time that has happened since the 2023-24 season.

The players

Brad Brownell

Clemson's head basketball coach who acknowledged the team's struggles and said lineup changes may be coming.

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What they’re saying

“The first half, we were certainly a step slow behind the play on defense. I knew they ran their stuff fast, and we just, I don't know, for whatever reason, we just weren't able to keep up.”

— Brad Brownell, Head Coach

“I thought we had a great practice on Monday, decent on Tuesday, but their pace of play and their enthusiasm to compete was fantastic, and ours was not as good as it needed to be.”

— Brad Brownell, Head Coach

What’s next

Clemson will look to end its three-game skid when it hosts Florida State on Saturday afternoon. The Seminoles have won six of their last eight games and will present another tough challenge for the struggling Tigers.

The takeaway

Clemson's recent losses have exposed issues with the team's energy, enthusiasm, and ability to keep up with fast-paced opponents. Coach Brownell acknowledged the need to potentially make lineup changes, as the Tigers aim to regain their footing ahead of the postseason.