A strong second-half response gave Clemson a chance to protect its perfect record Friday, but the Tigers left Littlejohn Coliseum with a lesson in closing games. Georgetown regained control down the stretch to hand Brad Brownell’s team an 85-78 loss.

Clemson fell to 3-1 after winning its first three games against Stetson, American and North Dakota. Its first high-major matchup presented a considerably tougher challenge, with the unbeaten Hoyas surviving a comeback that briefly put the Tigers in front.

Ace Buckner finished with 20 points and five assists, continuing his productive start to the season. Cole Certa supplied 14 points, including a transition 3-pointer that gave Clemson a 62-61 advantage, and Liutauras Lelevicius added 10.

Getting to that point required Clemson to recover from a first half in which Georgetown repeatedly found answers offensively. The Hoyas used an 18-0 run to create separation and stretched their lead to 19 points before taking a 47-32 advantage into halftime.

Clemson changed the game after the break. Better defensive possessions created opportunities at the other end, and shots that had refused to fall early began connecting. The Tigers made 70 percent of their field-goal attempts over the opening 10 minutes of the second half, hitting four of six from 3-point range.

That surge erased Georgetown’s cushion and put Clemson ahead by two with about six minutes remaining. The Tigers, however, could not turn the momentum into a fourth consecutive victory.

Georgetown capitalized on a costly Clemson turnover and converted four straight free throws during a decisive late stretch. With three minutes left, the Hoyas had rebuilt a seven-point lead and made enough plays afterward to keep Clemson out of reach.

Jaland Lowe scored a game-high 21 points for Georgetown, while Vince Iwuchukwu provided 20 points and 10 rebounds. Elmarko Jackson finished with 17 as the Hoyas improved to 4-0.

The Tigers will have a quick opportunity to respond when they host The Citadel on Monday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.