ATLANTA — In a game of runs, Clemson was on the wrong end of an 11-0 run in the final 2:08 of Thursday’s game at McCamish Pavilion. Georgia Tech erased a nine-point deficit in crunch time, and the Yellow Jackets came away with a 71-69 victory over the Tigers.
Shooting 47.2 percent from the field, the Tigers (10-7, 5-7) made seven 3-pointers and scored 24 points in the paint. The Yellow Jackets (11-3, 9-2) shot 44.3 percent from the floor and connected on six treys. The ACC foes pulled down 32 rebounds apiece. Clemson tallied 18 points off turnovers, and Georgia Tech recorded 40 points in the paint.
Gabby Elliott went 8-for-11 on field goal attempts and 1-for-1 at the free throw line, giving her a game-high 19 points. She also dished out four assists. Delicia Washington collected 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. Kendall Spray, who netted four shots from beyond the arc, tabbed 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Lotta-Maj Lahtinen and Loyal McQueen each scored 17 points for Georgia Tech.
After scoring the first basket of the game via a jumper, Washington stole the ball, setting up a fast break layup by Spray. A 3-pointer by Hannah Hank and a lay-in from Elliott resulted in Clemson going up 9-2. Georgia Tech then went on an 8-0 run to take the lead, but the Tigers responded with a 12-3 run, which was capped off by 4-point play. Elliott drew a foul while making a 3-pointer and sank the ensuing free throw.
The Tigers entered the second quarter leading 21-15, and Elliott knocked down a couple of jumpers early in the period. The Yellow Jackets trailed by eight with 8:33 left in the first half but went on to lead by as many as six in the second quarter. Spray poured in a trey in the final minute of the half, but Georgia Tech took a 36-31 lead into the break.
A 9-0 Georgia Tech run began the second half, with a three-ball by Spray ending it. The 3-pointer, which came at the 7:50 mark of the third quarter, sparked a commanding 19-4 surge by the Tigers. The Clemson run culminated in a 3-point play by Washington giving her squad a one-point lead with 1:45 remaining in the third period.
The fourth quarter started with the Tigers ahead 52-49, and a 3-point play by Amari Robinson with 5:56 on the game clock gave Clemson a 60-58 edge. After Georgia Tech tied the score 60-60, the Tigers rattled off 9-0 run. However, after falling down 69-60 with just under three minutes remaining, the Yellow Jackets closed the game out on an 11-0 run and won 71-69.
The Tigers will return home for their next contest on Sunday, Feb. 7, when Clemson will host the Boston College Eagles (5-7, 1-7) at Littlejohn Coliseum. The action in Clemson, S.C., will get underway at 2 p.m. and air on ACC Network Extra.
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