CLEMSON, S.C. — The Clemson women’s basketball team recorded its biggest season-opening win since 1998 with an 80-51 victory over UNC Greensboro Friday afternoon in Littlejohn Coliseum. Three of Clemson’s top four scorers were freshmen, led by Shelbie Davenport with 18 points.
Davenport made 7-of-15 field goals, including 4-of-8 from three-point distance. She was joined in the double-figure scoring column by Nikki Dixon (15), Cha’nelle Perry (13) and Daneesha Provo (11). For the game, Audra Smith’s team shot 51.7 percent overall and held the Spartans to just 26.5 percent. The Tigers were hot behind the arc, sinking nine of 22 attempts for 40.9 percent figure.
The Spartans led 10-5 early in the first half, but Clemson put together a 12-0 run that covered 3:20 of clock time to gain a lead it would not relinquish the remainder of the game. UNCG pulled within one moments later, but late in the half Clemson pulled away and led by 11 at the break after a Provo three-pointer inside the final 45 seconds.
It was cruise control in the second half, as Smith’s team shot over 60 percent and controlled the paint. Clemson finished with a 40-18 advantage on points inside the paint, and also outscored UNCG’s bench by a 39-19 margin.
The Tigers return to action Sunday at 2 p.m. against Troy University. The event will be streamed live on TigerCast and carried live by WCCP (105.5 FM) in Clemson.
Team Notes:
The Tigers’ 29 point victory was the largest margin of victory in a season opener since Nov. 14, 1998 when Clemson defeated UNC Asheville 93-26.
Clemson’s 80 points were the most post scored in a season opener since 2003 when the Tigers scored 103 against South Carolina.
Freshmen scored the first seven points of the season for Clemson.
From the 16:02 mark to 11:11 in the first half, Clemson went 5-7 from the field, while holding UNCG to 0-7 from the field during the first half 12-0 Tiger run.
The Clemson bench outscored the UNCG bench 39-19 in the game.
Clemson had a clear advantage in the paint, scoring 40 points there compared to UNCG’s 18.
Individual Notes:
Freshman Cha’nelle Perry shot a perfect 6-6 from the floor in her Clemson debut.
Freshman MaKayla Johnson led all Tigers with seven rebounds, followed by Shelbie Davenport and Ivy Atkism with five.
Head Coach Audra Smith Quotes:
“We got outhustled on the boards today. Kudos to UNCG, they gave us all we could handle in that first half, and the reason they stayed in the game was due to offensive rebounds with second and third opportunities. I’m excited about the scoring that we have, and that’s what i tell the team. We have enough players that can create their own shots and make three point shots, but we just have to rebound.”
[View the story “Clemson vs. UNCG Social (11-14-14)” on Storify]
December 9, 2024
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