Women’s Basketball Cruises Past Wake Forest

January 17, 1999

CLEMSON, SC – Itoro Umoh had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in recording a triple double (double digits in statistical categories) as she led 16th-ranked Clemson to a 78-38 win over Wake Forest in an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball game at Clemson, SC Sunday afternoon.

This was the fourth time a player in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference has recorded a triple double, and the second time in Clemson history. Dawn Staley of Virginia recorded two triple doubles in 1991, and Peggy Caple of Clemson had one in 1983. Caple had 19 points 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots against Kansas State on January 5, 1983.

Umoh finished the game 5-11 from the field. She also had six offensive rebounds and five steals.

Clemson improves to 14-3 overall, 5-3 in the ACC, while Wake Forest drops to 6-11 overall, 2-5 in league play. The Tigers are ranked 16th in the Associated Press poll and 12th in the USA Today listing.

Clemson shot .462 from the field (30-65) while Wake Forest shot 13-54 from the floor for a .241 pct. This was the third best defensive field goal pct. in Clemson history.

Clemson led 18-8 midway in the first half with 10:53 left to go. Clemson finished the first half outscoring the Deacons 20-7 to take a 38-15 advantage at the half. In this Lady Tiger rally, Anderson scored 10 of her 15 points.

The Lady Tigers had a 56-28 lead with 9:05 left to go in the game. From this point, Clemson scored 16 unanswered points in building a 72-28 lead, the largest of the game. The Lady Tigers’ Nikki Blassingame scored six points in this stretch run. Clemson was led in scoring by Anderson with 15 points, seven assists, three steals and two blocked shots, and nine rebounds in 27 minutes. The Lady Tigers’ Erin Batth had 13 points and Amy Geren finished with 14 points. Wake Forest was led in scoring by Olivia Dardy with seven points.

The 38 points by Wake Forest was the lowest for the Deacons since a 78-35 loss to Virginia in 1979-80. It was also the worst loss by the Deacons since an 82-41 loss to Old Dominion in the 1996-97 season.

Clemson won the battle of the boards 49-35, led by Umoh’s 11 rebounds.

“It is a great honor to have a triple double” said Clemson’s Itoro Umoh. “If it was not for my teammates playing so hard I could not have a triple double. I celebrate this accomplishment with my teammates. I do not worry about my personal statistics, I try to play hard and help our team be successful.”

Clemson will play at N.C. State Thursday night at 7:00 p.m in the Lady Tigers’ next action.