CLEMSON, S.C. — Closing out the regular season with a back-and-forth affair versus Miami, Clemson fell at Littlejohn Coliseum on Sunday. The Tigers were unable to record a victory on Senior Day, as the Hurricanes won 68-62.
From the field, the Tigers (10-12, 5-12) shot 34.4 percent, while the Hurricanes (11-10, 8-10) shot 45.3 percent. Clemson poured in eight 3-pointers, two more than the ‘Canes made, and went 10-for-14 at the free throw line. The Tigers also won the rebounding battle 42-35, including an 18-9 edge on the offensive glass, and scored 20 points off Miami’s 14 turnovers. Also of note, Clemson registered 20 bench points, 16 points in the paint and 12 assists.
Delicia Washington led the Tigers with a team-best 14 points on 7-of-17 shooting. She also collected eight rebounds and five assists. Gabby Elliott made a trio of 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. Amari Robinson added 10 points and seven boards, and Destiny Thomas chipped in eight points. Miami’s Destiny Harden scored a game-high 21 points.
Mikayla Hayes knocked down a jumper to kick off the scoring action. Midway through the first quarter, Destiny Thomas drained a 3-pointer that provided the Tigers with a 9-4 lead. Later in the quarter, Tylar Bennett emphatically blocked a Miami shot. Amari Robinson sank a three in the final minute of the opening period, which ended with the Hurricanes up 16-12. Clemson won the second quarter 13-12, but Miami took a 28-25 advantage into halftime. Eight different Tigers scored in the first half.
Early in the third quarter, Washington made baskets on consecutive Tiger possessions, including a pull-up jumper in the lane that put Clemson ahead 29-28. The Tigers added to their lead from there, with a corner trey from Kendall Spray making the score 36-28 in favor of Clemson. Gabby Elliott netted a three-ball late in the third period, and the Tigers entered the fourth quarter sporting a 45-42 lead. Elliott hit two more 3-pointers in the final period, but Miami was able to erase its deficit and eventually come away with a 68-62 win.
Clemson will next take the floor in the ACC Tournament. The tournament will take place from March 3-7 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. The 11th-seeded Tigers will face off against the sixth-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-9, 8-7) in the second round on Thursday, March 4. Scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m., the matchup will air on a regional sports network (RSN).
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