DALLAS, TX – The Clemson women’s basketball team went on a 15-2 run to close a 14-point SIU-Edwardsville lead to 35-34 with 11:51 to play, but the Lady Tigers (0-5) weren’t able to regain control in a 49-43 loss at the hands of the Cougars (3-3) at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. Clemson will return from Dallas on Sunday, and will travel to Indiana on Tuesday for a Wednesday showdown with the Hoosiers in the Big Ten/ ACC Challenge.
Danaejah Grant led Clemson for the second straight night offensively with 15 points, including six during the Lady Tigers’ 15-2 run. Nikki Dixon scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in 25 minutes as well. Jonquel Jones had five points, six rebounds, and four blocks in the contest as well.
SIUE’s Raven Berry led all players with 25 points on 9-18 shooting. The Cougars shot just .233 (7-30) in the second half to allow Clemson back into the game after taking a 28-17 lead at halftime, but the Tigers weren’t able to complete the comeback.
The Lady Tigers struggled to establish a post presence early, scoring just two points in the paint the the first half and settling for long jumpers, while SIUE had nearly half of its points (24 of 49) in the painted area. The Cougars also controlled the glass, outrebounding the Tigers, 49-39. Michaela Herrod of SIUE had 13 to lead all players, while Jones’ six led Clemson.
Clemson was able to take advantage of SIUE’s ten turnovers, converting them into 10 points, while the Cougars had just five points off a season-low 11 Clemson turnovers.
Chelsea Lindsay had six assists at point in 26 minutes, surpassing her total from the first four games combined.
An early 8-0 run put the Cougars ahead early by and 18-7 count 11 minutes in, before Clemson closed it to six on a three-pointer by Grant, who hit two in the game. Clemson then went without a point for the remainder of the half as the Cougars took a 28-17 lead at the break.
SIUE came out after halftime and stretched the lead to 33-19 just three minutes into the half. That’s when Clemson went on it’s 15-2 run to pull within one with 11:51 to play on a Dixon fastbreak layup from Grant, one of her two assists in the game.
The Cougars struck back with the next five points to stretch it out to a six point advantage with 10:36 left. Clemson closed it to two before the under-eight media timeout, but that’s as close as Clemson would get the rest of the way. The Cougars scored six straight to take an eight point lead, but the Cougars again had an answer. Clemson scored just five points in the final 7:35 of the game.
April 18, 2024
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