The McNeese State Cowboys absolutely brought it to the Clemson Tigers early during the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday, delivering one of the first major upsets of March Madness with their 69–67 win.
Late into the second half, McNeese State extended its lead to 51–29 after Brandon Murray hit a three-pointer, prompting a Clemson timeout. The Tiger, the mascot for the ACC program, looked absolutely defeated after the shot was buried. The truTV broadcast captured the moment as The Tiger took a seat on the ground and slowly shook his head in disbelief.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 20, 2025
Pain.
Despite entering the fray as a No. 5 seed, Clemson put on an abysmal display in the first half of their opening round clash against the Cowboys. The Tigers shot 36.8% percent from the field––a figure which rose dramatically due to a red-hot finish during the second half––and turned the ball over 13 times.
The Tigers' mascot perfectly summed up the emotions of the fan base during that moment, slinking to the ground in utter dejection. The mascot's despair almost served as the catalyst for a major Clemson comeback, as they fought back from down 51–29 to ultimately lose by just two. In the end, however, their comeback efforts weren't quite enough.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Clemson Mascot Looked Absolutely Dejected After Big Three in Upset Loss to McNeese.
