Al-Amir Dawes scored 10 points and Clemson's defense held high-scoring Alabama to 23 points below its average in posting a 64-56 victory in the Holiday Hoopsgiving Tournament in Atlanta.

Clemson improved to 5-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 season while Alabama slipped to 3-2.

The Crimson Tide led 55-54 with 6:08 remaining, but the Tigers went on a 10-1 run to end the game. Dawes' layup with 5:54 gave Clemson the lead for good and senior forward Jonathan Baehre scored six consecutive points during the game-ending run.

The Tigers are ranked fourth nationally and first in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing 50.2 points per game, and it showed. Clemson stopped Alabama on 10 of the Crimson Tide's final possessions and held Alabama to 30.4 percent (17-of-56) shooting from the field, including a 3-of-22 effort from 3-point range.

The Tigers got 31 points off their bench and outrebounded Alabama 38-24. Reserves Hunter Tyson and Nick Honor added nine points apiece for Clemson.

Clemson led by as many as 11 points early, getting nine points off the bench from sophomore forward Tyson in building a 26-15 lead with 5:49 left in the first half. But senior forward Herbert Jones scored eight points to spark a 15-4 Alabama run that pulled the Crimson Tide into a tie at 30 with 2:09 left.

The Tigers responded with consecutive baskets to end the half and take a 34-30 lead into the locker room.

Clemson extended its lead to 12 midway through the second half, but a 3-pointer by Jordan Bruner -- the Crimson Tide's first 3-pointer of the game -- snapped an 0-for-12 slump from beyond the arc and led to a 16-3 run and Alabama's first lead since the opening minutes of the game.

Jones paced Alabama with 17 points while senior guard John Petty Jr. added 10.

Clemson will open Atlantic Coast Conference play at Virginia Tech on Tuesday while Alabama will play host to Furman on Tuesday.

--Field Level Media