@ClemsonWBB Comeback Bid Falls Short Against Wake Forest

CLEMSON, SC – The Lady Tiger basketball team fell to Wake Forest (10-8, 1-4 ACC), 68-61, on Monday night at Littlejohn Coliseum. With two minutes to play, Clemson (9-10, 1-4) cut an 11-point deficit down to just three with 35 seconds remaining, but Wake Forest nailed their final four free throws of the game to clinch the victory. Clemson went cold from the floor in the second half, hitting just 10-of-39 (.256) attempts. The Tigers had a season-high 22 offensive rebounds, but managed just 13 second chance points. Junior wing Nikki Dixon led the Tigers with 19 points and sophomore post Nyilah Jamison-Myers added 11 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high-tying three blocks. It was her first double-double of the season and the second of her career. Chancie Dunn added a career-high nine rebounds and four assists. Trailing 63-52 with 2:03 remaining in the game, Clemson went on a 9-1 run to cut the lead to 64-61, but Wake’s Dearica Hamby (29 points, 18 rebounds) and Chelsea Douglas (18 points) combined to go 4-4 from the line in the final seconds to seal the win. Wake Forest tied a Clemson opponent record with 12 blocked shots in the contest, holding the Tigers to just .300 shooting, and a 1-12 (.083) mark from behind the arc. Clemson went into halftime trailing by just three, 33-30, but a 15-4 spurt out of the locker room gave Wake Forest a 14-point lead. Clemson cut the deficit to four on a 10-0 run, six points of which came from Dixon. The Deacs again hung in, taking their lead out to 11 with two minutes to play. Tay scored seven of her nine points over the next minute as Clemson cut the lead to three on a layup from Sade Chatman with 35 seconds left. From there, the Tigers could not get anything to fall, and were forced to foul. Clemson falls to 49-18 in the all-time series with Wake Forest. The Tigers will return to action on Thursday at Syracuse in the Carrier Dome at 7 p.m. Player of the Game: Nyilah Jamison-Myers – The sophomore post player had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks, all tying or surpassing season highs Stat of the Game: 12 – Wake Forest blocked 12 shots, tying a Clemson opponent record Game Notes

Nikki Dixon drew two charges in the opening half of play, her second consecutive game drawing two charges. She has now taken eight on the season, and 24 in her career, Clemson’s active leader in both categories.
Dixon reached double-digits after converting two free throws with 7:10 remaining in the opening half, her 50th career game in double figures, and 11th of the season. She finished with a game-high 19, and has scored 19 or more points in six of the last seven games.
Nyilah Jamison-Myers took a charge at the 7:25 mark. This is the first time all season the Tigers have taken three charges in a half. Jamison-Myers drew her second charge early in the second half. It was the first multi-charge game of her career.
Jamison-Myers had a season-high in rebounds with 11. Her previous high was five. Jamison-Myers reached double-digits in scoring for the third time this season with her 11-point effort. It was her first double-double of the season and second in her career.
Charmaine Tay took a charge early in the second half. It was the first time this season the Tigers have taken five charges in a game. The previous high was three.
Kelly Gramlich nailed a long two at the 8:09 mark, the first Tiger field goal that was not a layup. It was her only bucket of the game, as she struggled to a 1-11 mark from the floor.
Down 20-14, the Tigers began a pivotal 10-0 run. Clemson surged to its first lead following a Dixon free throw at the 7:10 mark in the first half giving the Tigers a 21-20 lead.
Jordan Gaillard had her streak of five consecutive three-point attempts made after missing a three in the second half. She is now shooting 8-21 from beyond the arc on the season.
Two Dixon free throws sparked a 10-0 run at the 13:04 mark in the second half bringing the Tigers within four at 48-44.
Chancie Dunn had a career-high nine rebounds. Dunn also contributed four assists.
Clemson attempted a season-high 70 field goals in the contest, but connected on just 21 of them (.300). This was due, in part, to Wake Forest’s 12 blocked shots, which tied a Clemson opponent record.

Coach Audra Smith Quotes: On Nikki Dixon “Well right now she’s our only offense. She’s the only one that steps up and is ready to play and is finishing and doing the things we are asking her to do. I need someone else on the perimeter to step up. Believe me, we’re practicing, but they need to bring it to the game. I’m really proud of the way she’s playing. She’s playing really, really well I just got to give some of her teammates to come with her.” On Nyilah Jamison-Myers “The thing about Ny is when shes fresh she plays extended minutes. When she starts to get fatigued she has to come out, but I did feel like she played really well for us.” [&lt;a href=”//storify.com/ClemsonTigers/clemson-tigers-v-wake-forest-demon-deacons-january” mce_href=”//storify.com/ClemsonTigers/clemson-tigers-v-wake-forest-demon-deacons-january” target=”_blank”&gt;View the story “Clemson Tigers v. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (January 20, 2014)” on Storify&lt;/a&gt;]