DURHAM, N.C. — The Clemson Tigers (18-11, 9-7) came up just short, 63-59, to the Duke Blue Devils (13-14, 5-10) in Clemson’s final game of the regular season. Facing a double-digit deficit with five minutes to play, the Tigers pulled to within one but could not complete the comeback.
Defensively, Clemson thrived for most of the game, forcing 26 turnovers, 17 of which came via steals. Floor general Danielle Edwards manned the Tigers’ defensive efforts, registering a season-high seven steals on the night. For the third time in the 2018-19 slate, the Tigers had two players reach the 20-point mark as veteran guards Aliyah Collier and Simone Westbrook scored 20 points apiece to lead the way for Clemson.
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Westbrook the first to double-figures for Clemson!10 points, 2 steals for the guard17-all, 6:47 Q2 pic.twitter.com/Y6Jq3FQPcK— Clemson Women's Basketball (@ClemsonWBB) March 1, 2019
Westbrook the first to double-figures for Clemson!
10 points, 2 steals for the guard
17-all, 6:47 Q2 pic.twitter.com/Y6Jq3FQPcK
— Clemson Women's Basketball (@ClemsonWBB) March 1, 2019
Offensive board ✅Putback ✅36-34 Clemson, 5:17 Q3 pic.twitter.com/217S8sqYmi— Clemson Women's Basketball (@ClemsonWBB) March 1, 2019
Offensive board ✅Putback ✅
36-34 Clemson, 5:17 Q3 pic.twitter.com/217S8sqYmi
The Tigers shot the ball well in the first half to take a 9-point lead into halftime thanks in part to a 4-of-8 effort from 3-point range.
The Blue Devils committed 13 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes of play but were able to right the ship in the third. Duke shot 50 percent from the floor, outscoring the Tigers 23-11 to take a 45-42 advantage into the final 10 minutes. A pair of defensive stops in the final minutes of action allowed Duke to escape with the 63-59 win.
Photos by Megan Barnes
With their final regular season game behind them, Clemson is set for the ACC Tournament, which kicks off in Greensboro, N.C. on Wednesday, March 6. The seeding for the tournament will be announced on Sunday evening.
Get the latest news on all things Clemson women’s basketball by following us on Twitter (@ClemsonWBB), Facebook (/ClemsonTigersWBB) and Instagram (@ClemsonWBB).
