CLEMSON, S.C. — Evan Smotrycz hadn’t heard anything quite this loud before.

Historically, Littlejohn Coliseum — home of the Clemson Tigers — presents one of the most hostile playing environments for visiting teams. And prior to the Michigan men's basketball team's Big Ten/ACC matchup with the Tigers on Tuesday night, the freshman standout had never played away from home on a non-neutral court.

But Smotrycz looked as relaxed as ever, playing more confidently under the deafening boos of Littlejohn than he has in front of his home crowd this season. He finished the night with a game-high 18 points in 25 minutes, propelling the Wolverines to a 69-61 road victory.

“I know Clemson has a good team,” Michigan coach John Beilein said following the game. “It’s an environment that a lot of teams do not come into and win.”

Smotrycz never seemed intimidated. Two and a half minutes into the game, sophomore guard Darius Morris drove to the basket and dished out to Smotrycz on the perimeter as the Clemson defense collapsed. The freshman buried his first 3-pointer of the night, giving Michigan an early 6-3 advantage.

The Wolverines didn’t relinquish that lead for the rest of the contest.

But that was the type of play the Tigers had to expect. Smotrycz was recruited primarily for his shooting ability — he doesn’t quite have the frame to match up underneath, and he doesn’t hustle around the court an awful lot.

Or does he?

Later in the first half, Morris picked up a defensive board, pushed the ball up the court and found Smotrycz cutting to the hoop for an easy lay-in. On the next Michigan possession, Smotrycz got the ball in the paint, and with no better option, pulled up for a 12-footer and drained it.

Then, he got a look in the post, this time with a big body on him. No big deal — he faked to the basket one way, getting the 6-foot-8 senior Jerai Grant in the air and drawing the foul as he laid it in again.

He converted on the free throw attempt, and a couple of minutes later, Smotrycz drove to the hoop for another easy layup, completing a 9-2, Smotrycz-Clemson run.

“He’s really crafty,” redshirt freshman center Jordan Morgan said. “That’s one of his good skills — he’s able to get people in the air and finish around people, finish with contact. He definitely asserted himself, and he was pretty hyped for his first ESPN game.”

Indeed, Smotrycz showed the nation what he is capable of. For the first time, the forward showed his potential to be a dual-threat player. He shot the ball well, finishing 2-for-2 from 3-point range and 6-for-7 from the field, and he finished drives from both the post and the paint.

His performance comes as a relief to a Michigan squad that will be undersized against most opponents.

“We played himself as both a four-man and a five-man (tonight),” Beilein said. “We’re trying to make him multi-positioned when we can, and he’s still learning. You know, at 6-foot-9, there’s quicker guys here … but he’s getting better at it.”

And with Big Ten season less than a month away, Smotrycz is getting better at just the right time for the Wolverines.