Game Information vs. Virginia Tech:Who: Clemson Tigers (11-16, 1-13 ACC) at Virginia Tech Hokies (16-10, 5-8 ACC)When: Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.Where: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va.Watch: ACC Network ExtraListen: Clemson Tigers Network/ClemsonTigers.com (Kelly Gramlich & Kathy Becker) NOTE: This will be an internet-only broadcast due to the time conflict with the Clemson men’s basketball game.Live Stats: HokieSports.comFollow: Twitter & Instagram: @ClemsonWBB
Clemson Team Notes:
– Clemson (11-16, 1-13 ACC) most recently lost to No. 12/12 Florida State on the road, 91-43, at the Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Fla. Sophomore Kobi Thornton (17 points) and senior Ivy Atkism (12 points) both scored in double figures for the Tigers.
– Clemson leads the ACC and ranks 43rd in the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense, holding its opponents to just 28.7% from behind the arc on the season. The Tigers are fifth in the conference in scoring defense (60.5).
– In a road game on Feb. 7, the Tigers held No. 4/4 Louisville to 14 points below its season average, ultimately falling 65-46 to the Cards. It was only the fourth time this season Louisville has been held to 65 points or less.
– As a team, the Tigers rank third in the ACC in blocked shots (133) and blocked shots per game (4.9). The total blocked shots figure ranks 24th in the nation, while the per-game figure is 33rd nationally.
– Clemson finished nonconference play with a 10-3 record in 2017-18. In the past two seasons, the Tigers have a 21-5 (.808) record in nonconference play (11-2 in 2016-17 and 10-3 in 2017-18). It is the best two-year nonconference record for the program since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons, when Clemson was 23-4 (.852) in two seasons.
– During the nonconference season, the Tigers won their Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup, defeating Nebraska on the road by a score of 67-66 on Nov. 30. The Cornhuskers are now 19-7 overall, 10-3 in the Big Ten and receiving votes in this week’s AP poll. In that game, junior Danielle Edwards scored a career-high 33 points in the game, shooting 9-for-15 (60%) from field goal range, 5-for-9 (55.6%) from three-point range and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
Clemson Player Notes:
– Sophomore Kobi Thornton leads the Tigers in scoring overall and in ACC play. The 2017 ACC All-Freshman Team selection is averaging 10.7 points per game on the season, and 12.7 points per game through 14 conference games. She has scored in double figures in 10 of the Tigers’ 14 ACC games.
– Thornton also leads the team in rebounding on the season (6.5 per game) and in ACC play (5.7 per game).
– Edwards ranks second in scoring for the Tigers, averaging 9.1 points per game. She also leads the team in steals (69, 2.6 per game) and assists (61, 2.3 per game.)
– Edwards’ 69 steals and 2.6 steals per game rank third among all ACC players, and the 69 steals also put her at 29th in the nation in that category. On Nov. 13, 2017, Edwards posted nine steals in the Tigers’ 56-48 win over South Carolina State, tying the Clemson record for steals in a single game. Four different players have recorded nine steals in a game previously for the Tigers, however, it had not been done in 30 years, when Ramona O’Neil picked up nine steals against Virginia on Feb. 14, 1987.
– The Tigers have two players in the top six in the ACC in blocked shots. Thornton ranks fifth with 44 blocked shots and a 1.63 per game average, while freshman Tylar Bennettranks sixth with 42 blocked shots and 1.56 blocked shots per game.
Series Information:
– Clemson has a narrow advantage in the all-time series against Virginia Tech, with an 11-10 overall record.
– The two teams met twice in 2016-17. The Hokies won the regular season matchup, 78-69, at Littlejohn Coliseum on Jan. 8, 2017. In that game, Danielle Edwards scored 18 points and Aliyah Collier posted a double-double, with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
– The Tigers avenged the loss in the first round of the 2017 ACC Tournament, defeating Virginia Tech 67-66 on March 1 in Conway, S.C. Once again, Edwards led the Tigers, with 17 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. Nelly Perry, who is redshirting the 2017-18 season due to injury, added 16 points and eight rebounds. Thornton and Collier were also in double figures in scoring, with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
April 16, 2024
