Moore Leads With 19 Points as 9-Seed Tigers Defeat 8-Seed Virginia 63-50 to Move on to ACC Tournament Quarterfinals

Duluth, Ga. – Senior guard Mia Moore scored a team-high 19 points in just 22 minutes to lift 9-Seed Clemson women’s basketball (21-10, 11-7 ACC) over 8-Seed Virginia (19-11, 11-7 ACC), 63-50 at Gas South Arena on Thursday. 

Clemson moves on to face 1-Seed Duke on Friday, Mar. 6, in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament. Tipoff is slated for 11 a.m., and the game will air live on ESPN2. 

WITH THE WIN….

• Clemson has reached 21 wins for the first time in 25 years (2000-01 season).
• For the 18th time this season, Clemson has held its opponent to under 60 points.
• For the 11th time this year, Clemson has made 10+ 3-pointers in a game.
• Today’s victory was the first upset of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Moore led the way on offense for the Tigers, scoring 19 (7-8 FG), grabbing four rebounds and dishing out two assists. Senior guard Taylor Johnson-Matthews dropped 10 points, collected four boards and registered a block. Senior guard Rachael Rose was all over the floor, registering team-highs in assists (five) and steals (three) to go along with eight points and four rebounds. Junior guard Hannah Kohn added eight points. Raven Thompson made her presence felt on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds, the fourth time this year she has grabbed double-digit boards. As a team, the Tigers combined for 10 three-pointers, the 11th time this season that Clemson has made double-digit threes.

Paris Clark led the Cavaliers with 15 points, four rebounds and four steals. 

HOW THE GAME WAS DECIDED
The teams went back-and-forth in the first half and Clemson went into the halftime locker room up by two. The Tigers scored the first five points of the third, but the Cavaliers followed that with a 13-4 run to take a two-point lead with 1:45 remaining in the quarter. The lead would be short lived, as back-to-back threes by Kohn and Johnson-Matthews gave the Tigers a four-point advantage heading into the fourth and Clemson would not let Virginia within one possession the rest of the way en route to a 13-point victory.

HEAD COACH SHAWN POPPIE SAID

MIA MOORE POSTGAME ON-COURT INTERVIEW

RACHAEL ROSE ACCN NETWORK DESK INTERVIEW

HIGHLIGHTS

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• Clemson has reached 21 wins for the first time in 25 years (2000-01 season).
• For the 18th time this season, Clemson has held its opponent to under 60 points.
• Junior guard/forward Rusne Augustinaite tied Kohn (2024-25) for the second-most single-season 3PM in program history (79).
• Head Coach Shawn Poppie earned his second win in the ACC Tournament and his first win over Virginia.
• Clemson’s record in the ACC Tournament moved to 38-46.
• The Tigers record in the ACC Tournament as a 9-Seed improved to 2-3.
• CU’s record in the second round of the ACC Tournament moved to 3-6.
• Clemson now holds a record of 6-4 vs. Virginia in the ACC Tournament.
• Today’s victory was the first upset of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament.
• For the 11th time this year, Clemson has made 10+ 3-pointers in a game.
• The Tigers moved to 5-3 when donning orange uniforms this season.
• The Tigers picked up their 37th win against Virginia in program history. The Cavaliers hold a 45-37 advantage in the all-time series.
• Rose tied a season-high with three steals.
• For the third time this season, the Tigers shot at least 50% from beyond the arc.
• Moore scored in double-digits for the 22nd time this season.
• Johnson-Matthews registered double-figure points for the 15th game on the year.
• Thompson pulled down double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season.
• Rose dished out five assists, her third time this season with five or more.

UP NEXT

Clemson moves on to face 1-Seed Duke on Friday, Mar. 6, in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament. Tipoff is slated for 11 a.m., and the game will air live on ESPN2. 

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