Lady Tigers Fall To NC State In Final Home Game

Feb. 28, 2008

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson women’s basketball team suffered its fifth straight losson Thursday night, falling, 89-57, to a taller and more physical NC State squad at Littlejohn Coliseum.

The Lady Tigers are now 10-18 overall and 3-10 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Wolfpack All-ACC candidate Khadijah Whittington turned in a 22-point, 16-rebound performance to lead all players in both categories, while Chanita Jordan’s 17 points were a career high for the sophomore center.

Sophomore Lele Hardy led the Clemson effort with 12 points, while Morganne Campbell posted 10 with a team-high four steals.

“We knew in order for us to win tonight, we would have to stop NC State’s strong inside game,” said Lady Tiger Head Coach Cristy McKinney. “We weren’t unable to do that and they capitalized on our scoring drought.”

The Wolfpack (18-10, 6-7 ACC) scored the first six points of the night and the lead reached 15 as Nikitta Gartell drained a three-pointer with 4:20 remaining in the first half.

Following a lay-up by Christy Brown at the four-minute mark, NC State ended the half on a 10-0 run to take a 23-point advantage into the lockerroom.

Whittington hit a jumper with 8:43 remaining in the game to put the Wolfpack up 74-43 and the Lady Tigers were unable to come any closer than 30.

The 32-point final deficit tied a 2006 defeat to Duke to rank as the second worst home loss in school history.

“Our post players have been playing well all year long and they were really great tonight,” said NC State Head Coach Kay Yow. “They gave us a lot of energy and were shooting very well.”

D’Lesha Lloyd played the final game of her Clemson career at Littlejohn Coliseum, finishing with four points, five rebounds and three steals on Thursday.

The Lady Tigers will wrap up the 2007-08 regular season on Saturday night in Tallahassee, FL. Clemson and Florida State will match up for the second time this year at 7:00 pm at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.