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How Carter Welling's injury motivated Clemson to beat UNC in ACC Tournament
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- How Carter Welling's injury motivated Clemson to beat UNC in ACC Tournament
CHARLOTTE, NC — Just outside the tunnel at Spectrum Center, Clemson basketball guard Jestin Porter handed Carter Welling a sticker of the Clemson logo.
The gesture is a staple of the ACC Tournament, signaling that a team has advanced in the tournament. And No. 5 seed Clemson did, beating No. 4 North Carolina 70-69 on March 12 to reach the ACC Tournament semifinals for the second straight season.
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The Tigers (24-9) will face No. 1 seed Duke (30-2) on March 13 (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN2). The winner will face No. 2 Virginia or No. 3 Miami in the ACC championship on March 14 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Welling, the team's second-leading scorer, top rebounder and best shot blocker, didn't participate after tearing his right ACL against Wake Forest a day prior. His season is over, meaning he will miss any games Clemson plays in the NCAA Tournament.
"Our hearts were a little damaged in the second half (vs Wake Forest) when we didn't have Carter," Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. "Certainly, today, that's on our minds because this is the best time of the year. ... Guys were playing really hard, I think, for him in some ways."
Clemson's damaged hearts were healed for a moment when Welling plastered the team's logo on the ACC Tournament bracket as his teammates chanted "C Dub."
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"It was great. He teased it a little bit, then he got it on there," Clemson guard Ace Buckner said. "We got to do it two more times, though."
Clemson won its second consecutive ACC Tournament game for the first time since 2008 behind multiple contributions. The Tigers had six players score in double figures led by forward Nick Davidson , who recorded a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench.
Davidson replaced Welling's 3-point production and rebounding against UNC (24-8), hitting four 3-pointers to help Clemson make nine and securing a season high in rebounds.
"What a terrible injury and (he's) a big part of our team," Davidson said. "Our motto has always been 'Everybody all the time,' so tonight, I just happened to be the one who stepped up."
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MORE: Carter Welling injury update, Clemson basketball center out for season with torn ACL
The Nevada transfer and guard Dillon Hunter were crucial late against the Tar Heels , combining for seven free throws. UNC turned its 18-point second-half deficit to one in the game's final two seconds.
Davidson missed two free throws with Clemson leading 80-79, but North Carolina's Jarin Stevenson missed a full-court 3-point heave for the Tigers to survive.
Now, Clemson is chasing two more postgame moments with Welling to secure the program's first ACC Tournament championship.
"Every time we win one, we're gonna give it to Carter, and he's gonna put it on there," Porter said.
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Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at DCarter@usatodayco.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson basketball beats UNC in ACC Tournament without Carter Welling
