Memphis guard Tyrese Hunter was unstoppable in the extra period, pouring in eight of his 23 points, including two clutch threes. Hunter scorched Clemson all game, going 7-for-11 from deep.
He, along with Colby Rogers -- who added 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting -- picked up the slack as Clemson's defense held Memphis' leading scorer, PJ Haggerty, to just 12 points.
For Clemson, Viktor Lakhin was the anchor, dominating in the paint. He finished with a team-high 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding 11 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
Yet, his lone steal turned into a turnover in the waning seconds, as Memphis' Dain Dainja ripped it away to secure the win.
Chase Hunter took nearly 10 minutes to get going offensively but found his groove to ultimately finish with 17 points, adding four rebounds and three assists.
Dillon Hunter provided a much-needed spark off the bench, logging a team-high plus-minus of +10 in 31 minutes. His 10 points were vital, but his energy on both ends made the difference.
It was clear keeping Ian Schieffelin off the boards was Hardaway's game plan, limiting him to just six rebounds, though Schieffelin's his offensive contributions kept Clemson alive; he chipped in 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including two timely threes.
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Jaeden Zackery logged 42 gritty minutes, leading the defensive effort while scoring 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. His clutch threes in regulation and overtime gave Clemson hope, but Memphis' offensive firepower eventually proved too much.
Clemson led by five with just over a minute to play in regulation but couldn't close the deal. Memphis kept fighting, with Dainja tying the game on a layup with 20 seconds left.
Brownell opted not to call a timeout, leaving Chase Hunter to create in isolation, but his deep three fell short, forcing overtime.
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Clemson shot 45-percent from the field and 32% from three (10-for-31), but Memphis was lights out, hitting 52% overall and 12-of-25 from beyond the arc for a blistering 48%.
This was just the second-ever meeting between Clemson and Memphis, with the Tigers dropping both contests after last year's narrow loss in Memphis at FedEx Forum.
Clemson will aim to bounce back in its next game, a rivalry Palmetto State series matchup against South Carolina in Columbia on December 17. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.