Clemson falls just short against No. 13 UNC |
Grayson Mann
· · Sunday, February 09 2025
CLEMSON – In a weekend that was amplified by an upset in Littlejohn, Shawn Poppie’s Tigers were seconds away from capturing a decisive victory of their own.
With 2.8 seconds to go, Loyal McQueen’s inbound was tipped, leaving No. 13 North Carolina enough space to run out the remaining seconds, holding on for a 53-51 victory. The shorthanded Tigers without Mia Moore fall to 11-13 (4-9 ACC), making it four losses in a row. On a day that nearly was capped with a monumental upset, the Tiger offense was charged by McQueen, who cracked above her season average with 17 points on Sunday afternoon. McQueen found her success slashing inside for baskets, as well as drawing contact for chances at the charity stripe. She made a team-high five free throws, going perfect in that category. The Alabama transfer’s efforts on the offensive end weren’t without other contributions, with Maddi Cluse continuing to find offensive success after a 19-point performance against Duke. Cluse logged double figures for the third straight game, providing consistency in 34 minutes of play on the home floor. Hannah Kohn was the third Tiger to log over 10 points, recording 12 with a team-high three makes from beyond the arc. On the opposite side, North Carolina’s offense, which has kept a rather explosive offense together throughout the season, struggled to find a groove in Littlejohn. The Tar Heels (21-4, 9-3) only collected 22 points in the first half, going nearly five minutes without a basket in the second quarter. The third quarter featured more of the same struggles on offense for both sides, but each unit found ways to get to the basket. The ACC foes went a combined 10-12 from the line, producing points from the charity stripe. Despite some shooting woes, the Tar Heels took advantage of Tessa Miller and Anya Poole facing foul trouble, taking over on the offensive glass. North Carolina held a 16-4 advantage over Clemson, making the most of the small-ball lineups Poppie had to utilize within his rotation. The Tar Heels and Tigers traded the lead 10 times in Littlejohn, with Poppie’s roster competing well with one of the top teams in the country. North Carolina’s offense was held to a season-low 53 points, matching that total from a win in overtime over Duke. Clemson will continue its homestand on Thursday, February 13th, welcoming Georgia Tech at 7:00 p.m. MADI OTT WITH A BIG TIME TRIPLE! Fun first half in LJC 😁 pic.twitter.com/0Dr8vKUMbz
📺: ACCNX pic.twitter.com/gUsdvHkI7B
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