Clemson Wins ACC Opener 78-65 over N.C. State on Sunday

Jan. 9, 2005

Clemson got off to a 1-0 conference start on Sunday with a 78-65 victory over the visiting N.C. State Wolfpack. The Lady Tigers scored a season-best 52 second-half points en route to the 13-point win. Clemson improved to 7-6 overall (1-0 ACC), while N.C. State fell to 12-3 (1-1 ACC).

“Our kids held together pretty good today,” said Jim Davis, head coach at Clemson. “We did a good job running at N.C. State in the second half, and as a result, were able to get to the free throw line. I was very pleased with our point production today. We did a good job of getting into the paint in the second half.”

The Lady Tigers shot 56.5 percent in the second half and hit 7-12 (58.3 percent) from outside the three-point line. The 78 points were the most given up by the Wolfpack’s top-ranked defense all season. After no trips to the free throw line in the first half, Clemson shot 19-26 from the charity stripe in the second half.

Guard Reggie Maddox was one point shy of a triple-double, which would have been the third in Clemson history. Peggy Caple and Itoro Umoh recorded the previous triple-doubles. Maddox finished with nine points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The 11 rebounds and 10 assists marked the second time this season she had a double-double. She did so earlier this season in a win over South Carolina. The 10 assists marked a career-high and the 11 rebounds tied a career-best for the Dyersburg, TN native.

Freshman D’Lesha Lloyd, making her second career start, poured in a career-high 19 points to lead four double-figure scorers for Clemson. She hit 7-14 from the field, including 3-5 from beyond the arc. Guards Tasha Phillips and Julie Talley each scored 12 points, while Amanda White contributed 11 and grabbed nine rebounds.

N.C. State held a 28-26 lead in the first half as both teams struggled to shoot the ball. The Wolfpack scored 15 points off of three-pointers in the first half. Clemson was down as much as six points in the opening half after Rachel Stockdale hit a three-pointer to give N.C. State a 21-15 lead. But Clemson kept it close the remainder of the half and a jumper by Talley pulled the Lady Tigers within two at the break.

In the second half, the Wolfpack pulled to within 53-51 after Talley fouled out with just over six and a half minutes left in the ball game. From that point, Phillips caught fire and scored all 12 of her points in the game’s final minutes. She was 0-5 from the field in the first half before hitting each of her last three outside shot attempts.

The Lady Tigers return to action on Thursday, January 13 as they play host to the Florida State Seminoles in the second ACC game of the season for Clemson. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM from Littlejohn Coliseum.