WBB | Frantic Comeback Falls Just Short as Hokies Top Tigers on Senior Day

Frantic Comeback Falls Just Short as Hokies Top Tigers on Senior Day

FINAL SCORE: Virginia Tech 78, Clemson 76

RECORDS: Clemson (13-16, 6-12 ACC), Virginia Tech (18-11, 9-9 ACC)

CLEMSON LEADERS: Mia Moore (24 points, 8-13 FG, 4-4 FT), Mia Moore (9 rebounds), Tessa Miller (6 assists)

NOTABLES:

• Madi Ott made her first start of the season
• Clemson started an all-senior lineup of McQueen, Poole, Ott, Cluse, and Porter
• Tessa Miller had 15 first-half points on 7-8 FG shooting and 1-1 FT, and finished with 19 points (9-10 FG), seven rebounds and six assists
• Moore scored a season-high 24 points, her third game of 20+ this season. 
• Mia Moore charted 11 points in the third quarter, including three threes.  
• Moore hit four three-pointers in the game, tying a career high set on Jan. 9 vs. UVA
• Clemson welcomed 36,408 fans into Littlejohn Coliseum in 2024-25, nearly doubling the 19,055 from last season a 91 percent increase. 

CLEMSON, S.C. – Mia Moore’s game-tying attempt at the buzzer hit the back rim as Clemson’s frantic comeback fell just short in a 78-76 loss to Virginia Tech (18-11, 9-9 ACC) on Sunday afternoon. Clemson (13-16, 6-12 ACC) trailed 72-62 with 3:19 to play and got the ball back with 7.8 seconds to play with a chance to tie or win, but Moore’s baseline floater was just off the mark. 

Moore was brilliant throughout, scoring a season-best 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting and pulling down nine rebounds. Tessa Miller scored 19 points on 9-10 shooting, and had seven rebounds and a season-high six assists, while Summah Evans (13 points) and Loyal McQueen (12 points) also hit double-figures offensively. 

Clemson honored 2024-25 ACC UNITE Award winner Mary Kennerty after the first quarter and welcomed back more than 60 program alumni, who were honored at halftime. 

Virginia Tech opened up a 16-8 lead six minutes into the contest, but a 9-2 spurt behind seven points from Miller closed the gap just before the end of the quarter. Clemson took the lead on Raven Thompson’s layup, before a 9-0 run for the Hokes again opened up an eight-point advantage. 

Clemson was again up for the challenge with Moore, Miller and Cluse all but erasing the deficit over the next two minutes. Miller finished with 15 points in the first half on 7-for-8 shooting as the Tigers hit 14-of-19 shot attempts inside the arc but just 1-for-11 outside it in the frame,

The third quarter was tight throughout, with eight lead changes. The Hokies were able to open up a six-point advantage, but Moore’s fourth three-pointer drew the Tigers back to within three again, facing a 56-53 deficit to end the third quarter. 

The teams traded buckets again in the fourth before the Hokies scored six straight to take a 72-62 lead with 3:19 to play. But Summah Evans drilled a three-pointer to cut it to five and after a Hokie basket, Miller hit a layup, and the Tigers turned a backcourt turnover into a layup to pull within three with 57 seconds to play. The Hokies scored again, but again, Evans was there to knock in another three-pointer to cut the deficit to 78-76 with 38 seconds left. Clemson forced a defensive stop and took over with 7.8 seconds on the clock. 

After the Hokies took a foul, Clemson inbounded to Moore, who drove right and launched the floater. 

UP NEXT: The Tigers will travel to Greensboro this week to compete in the Women’s ACC Tournament, which begins Wednesday. Game time and matchup will be announced later Sunday. 

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