Clemson Women's Basketball Faces Third Consecutive Loss at Cameron Indoor

Coach Poppie strategizes with the Clemson Tigers during a timeout at Duke. Photo courtesy of Clemson Athletics.

The Clemson Tigers faced a tough challenge on the road against the Duke Blue Devils in the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium this evening. The Tigers ultimately fell 74-55 in this contest after having a competitive first half against the 10th-ranked Blue Devils. This loss marks Clemson's third consecutive defeat, bringing their overall record to 11-12 and 4-8 in conference play. Let’s go into how this game played out. 

Despite the loss, Clemson showcased impressive shooting efficiency, hitting 50% from the field and an outstanding 54% from beyond the arc. Duke shot 47% from the field and 30% from three-point range, making this look like an advantage for Clemson. However, turnovers proved to be Clemson's Achilles' heel, as they committed 27 turnovers compared to Duke's eight on the floor. The Blue Devils capitalized on these mistakes from Clemson, scoring 35 points off turnovers. Duke's bench also made a significant impact, contributing 42 points, along with 40 points in the paint.

Duke had four players scoring in double digits, with Toby Fournier leading the way with 20 points and four rebounds, shooting an efficient 9-12 from the field. Oluchi Okananwa was perfect from the field, shooting 5-5, adding 14 points for the Blue Devils.

For Clemson, Maddi Cluse had a breakout performance, leading the team with 19 points and four rebounds, shooting an impressive 7-9 from the field and 4-5 from three-point range. Anya Poole also contributed 11 points, while Mia Moore led the team in rebounds with nine. Loyal McQueen, Clemson's star player, had a quieter game with five points but dished out seven assists. The duo of Moore and McQueen haven’t been themselves as of late, but the Tigers hope they can get this duo back going with the backend of the season approaching. 

Looking ahead, Clemson Women's Basketball has an opportunity to bounce back as they return home to face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday, February 9th, at 2:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. With their shooting looking promising and the potential for standout performances from different players, the Tigers have the tools to turn their season around and finish strong.