Pitt started Tuesday's game at Clemson down 22-5 just minutes into the game, and it never really recovered from there. Clemson got hot from behind the 3-point line early and finished with 14 makes from behind the arc. Marcquise Reed led the Tigers with 26 points, with four 3-pointers.

The loss is Pitt's fourth straight. After a promising 2-2 start in the ACC, the Panthers now have a 2-6 mark in the conference with a 12-9 record overall. It was also the team's 16th straight road ACC loss, a streak dating back to the 2016-17 season.

Xavier Johnson led Pitt with a career-high 30 points, and Jared Wilson-Frame added 14. The Panthers were playing without starting forward and leading-rebounder Au'Diese Toney. He is day-to-day with a injury to his right hand.

Trey McGowens is a native of nearby Pendleton (SC), and was playing in front of many family and friends. He struggled in his return home, and finished with just 5 points on 2-9 shooting.

Pitt had two main issues on Tuesday, two that have plagued the team all year: turnovers and foul trouble. The Panthers committed 21 fouls as a team. Both Johnson and McGowens had to sit with four fouls apiece with over 12 minutes left to go in the game, though neither fouled out. Pitt also committed 12 turnovers.

Pitt did show some fight in the later stages of the second half. A 13-3 run cut the Clemson lead to 63-46 with 7:37 to play. The Panthers continued to fight from there to set the final at 82-69 with Johnson hitting a shot with :13 seconds remaining.

The Panthers have 10 games remaining in the regular season, and would need a big run during the month of February to get back into some NCAA Tournament conversations they found themselves in following the wins over Louisville and Florida State.

Pitt will host Syracuse on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers lost to the Orange earlier this season 74-63 at the Carrier Dome.