Tigers Face Another Tough Road Test at Georgia Tech

Hannah Kohn and the Clemson Tigers travel to Georgia Tech to face the Yellow Jackets. Photo Credit: Charles Mays- Tiger View Media

The Clemson women’s basketball team hits the road once again, this time to face the 17th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Tigers are looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Florida State, which marked their third consecutive ACC loss. Georgia Tech is also coming off a challenging game, having fallen to the 3rd-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish by 15 points. Interestingly, Clemson played a tighter game against Notre Dame a week ago, losing by just nine points, but you can take that for what you want. The Tigers aim to avoid a fourth straight conference loss as they face a strong Yellow Jackets squad. To succeed, Clemson will need to deliver a strong fight to Georgia Tech. Let’s break down this matchup and preview what’s to come.

The Tigers had a strong showing in the first half of their game against Florida State, scoring a season-high in first-half points. Clemson went on a scoring spree, shooting an impressive 55.2% from the field, including 37.5% from beyond the arc. To be competitive against Georgia Tech, the Tigers will need to deliver a full four quarters of play with the same intensity they displayed in the first half against Florida State and not drastically fall behind like they did in the fourth quarter. A full-team effort will be crucial, starting with Loyal McQueen. McQueen had a solid performance in her last outing, scoring 15 points while adding six rebounds and four assists on 46.7% shooting. Consistency from McQueen will be key to Clemson's success. Alongside her, Mia Moore will need to step up again. Moore is coming off another strong game, contributing 14 points, four rebounds, and shooting an impressive 66.7% from the field. If the duo of McQueen and Moore can both have productive outings, it will greatly benefit the Tigers. Another key player for Clemson will be Tessa Miller, who has consistently been a force for the team. Miller is coming off an outstanding double-double performance against Florida State, tallying 13 points and 13 rebounds, including some timely three-pointers which you don’t usually see from Miller. Also, players like Hannah Kohn, Raven Thompson, and Anya Poole, just to name a few who have shown the ability to step up, will need to provide valuable contributions too. In addition to the starters, Clemson's bench will need to make an impact and they have shown that they can in previous games. If the Tigers can get strong performances from both their starters and bench, they’ll be in a good position to compete against Georgia Tech.

Unfortunately for Georgia Tech, it may once again be without one of their key players, Dani Carnegie, who has missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury. Carnegie is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 15.1 points per game, and their most reliable three-point shooter with an impressive .421 average from beyond the arc. The Yellow Jackets have struggled with her being out, going 0-2 in their last two games, highlighting just how important she is to their success. In Carnegie’s absence, Kara Dunn, Georgia Tech’s leading scorer, will bear the responsibility of leading the team. Dunn delivered a standout performance in her last game, posting 21 points, five rebounds, and shooting 47% from the field. The Tigers will need to focus on neutralizing her impact in this matchup. Another player to watch is Tonie Morgan, who also had a solid outing against Notre Dame, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds, and shooting 47% from the field. This duo of Dunn and Morgan will look to carry the Yellow Jackets in Carnegie’s absence, but if Clemson can limit their effectiveness, it will improve their chances of securing a win. Georgia Tech is also coming off one of their poorer shooting performances, finishing their last game with just 37.7% shooting from the field and 26.7% from three-point range. 

Clemson will aim to avoid their fourth consecutive ACC loss and their second defeat on this road trip. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, Georgia, with the game available to watch on ACC Network Extra.