@ClemsonWBB Win Streak up to Four with 77-71 Victory at UNCG

GREENSBORO, NC – The Clemson women’s basketball team won its fourth straight game with a 77-71 win at UNCG (4-4) on Thursday night in Fleming Gym. The Tigers improved to 5-3 on the year and 5-1 all-time against the Spartans. The Tigers hit 19-24 (.792) free throws and turned the ball over just four times in the second half.  Four players scored in double-figures, led by senior Quinyotta Pettaway’s 19 points on 7-9 shooting and a 5-6 mark from the line. The Tigers scored a season-high 77 points, and shot 25-48 (.521) from the floor, while holding UNCG to .407 from the floor.  The Tigers had a strong second half, building a lead by as many as 14 with 7:34 to play before holding off a furious Spartan rally.  The win is indicative of progress under first-year Head Coach Audra Smith, as this marks Clemson’s first four-game winning streak since the 2008-09 season. Two of the four wins have come on the road, and all have been by six points or fewer.  In Thursday’s contest, Clemson fought back from an early five-point deficit to take the lead with 14:15 to play in the first half. From then on, UNCG did not lead the rest of the game.  Lucy Mason had 18 of her 20 points in the second half and led the Spartans on a run to cut Clemson’s 14-point lead down to just six with 1:46 to play. Charmaine Tay, who had 15 points for the second straight game, buried a top-of-the-key jumper with 1:13 left at the end of the shot clock, which proved to be the final nail in the coffin. Clemson iced the game from the line, going 8-10 in the final minute.  Clemson went into halftime clinging to a 31-27 lead. The Tigers owned a 21-9 advantage on the glass, and limited the Spartans to just two offensive rebounds on 14 missed shots. Meanwhile, the Tigers were able to force action and go to the free throw line 11 times, and were an efficient 12-23 (.522) from the field. Twelve turnovers were costly for Clemson, who had just ten in the previous game, and twelve or fewer in three of the last four games overall.  Player of the Game: Chelsea Lindsay – The junior point guard managed the clock, and tied a career-high with 12 points, going 8-12 from the line. She also added five rebounds and three assists Stat of the Game: 4 – The number of players in double figures; The number of turnovers by Clemson in the second half; Also, the number of consecutive wins Team Notes:

• The win was Clemson’s fourth in a row. Clemson’s last four-game winning streak came in the 2008-09 season
• Clemson has a 2-0 record on the road this season; It is the first time Clemson has started 2-0 on the road since 2005-06. It is just the 8th time in 38 years that the program has started 2-0 on the road
• Clemson improved to 5-1 all-time against UNCG; This was Clemson’s first win at UNCG, as they hold a 4-0 mark in Littlejohn
• Clemson scored a season-high 77; It was the most points in a game since scoring 87 vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 2, 2012, a span of 30 games 
• The Tigers went to the line 35 times, hitting 25; Both totals were season-highs. In fact, Clemson’s 19-24 mark in the second half would have stood on its own as season-highs
• After committing 12 turnovers in the first half, Clemson had just four in the second half. 
• The Spartans did not have a two-point field goal in the second half until there was 4:22 on the clock

Individual Notes:

• Kelly Gramlich buried a right-wing three with six seconds left in the first half; It was her fourth straight game with a three-pointer made, giving her ten in the last four games and 77 makes in her career
• It was also the second time she has made a three-pointer with less than ten seconds to play before halftime, as she hit one at USF; She has now accomplished the feat in both road games. 
• Quinyotta Pettaway had a season-high 19 points on 7-9 shooting, all season highs
• Pettaway also grabbed six rebounds, giving her 541 for her career and moving her into 17th in school history. She passed Jaci Stimson (535, 1993-97), Nikki Blassingame (537, 1995-99), and Natasha Anderson (539, 1995-99)
• Chelsea Lindsay had 12 points, including nine in the second half, tying a career-high; She had achieved the total three times this season; She went 8-12 from the line, both totals were career-highs
• Nikki Dixon scored 11 points, nine of which came in the second half. It was her 42nd career game in double-figures