Women’s Basketball Falls To South Carolina, 80-48, On Monday Night

Nov. 20, 2006

COLUMBIA, SC – The Clemson women’s basketball team fell to South Carolina on Monday night at the Colonial Center in Columbia, SC by an 80-48 margin. The Gamecocks improved to 3-1 with the victory, while the loss dropped the Lady Tigers to 1-3 on the year.

Two rookies led the way for the Clemson squad as Lele Hardy and Morganne Campbell scored in double figures in the contest. Hardy was just one rebound shy of a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Campbell converted all four of her free throw attempts for a 10-point total.

The Lady Tigers’ leading scorer Tasha Taylor found herself in foul trouble early in the game and played just seven minutes on Monday night.

Demetress Adams turned in a double-double performance for South Carolina, leading the team with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Kellindra Zachery also scored in double digits for the Gamecocks with 11.

Clemson’s first nine points came on three-point baskets by Taylor and Hardy, as the Lady Tigers led 11-5 early in the game. However, South Carolina went on an 18-0 run to go ahead 23-11 at the 12:01 mark. Christy Brown ended the Clemson drought with a jumper from the wing with 11:53 remaining in the half.

The Gamecocks extended their lead to as many as 15 points at 33-18 at the 6:03 mark. The Lady Tigers scored the next five points to cut the deficit to 10 with 3:53 remaining as Brown hit a field goal and Carrie Whitehurst drained a three. Campbell converted two free throws in the final minute of the period that sent Clemson into the lockerroom down 39-27.

South Carolina then outscored the Lady Tigers, 41-21, in the second half. The Gamecocks opened the period on a 17-2 run to go up 56-29. They then scored 11 straight points on free throws from the 9:20 mark to the 4:50 point, while Clemson totaled just four points during the stretch. South Carolina held its largest lead of the game at 75-39 with 4:17 remaining in the game as Stacy Booker made a three-pointer.

The Lady Tigers posted nine of the final 14 points scored in the game but were unable to erase such a large gap. Two free throws by freshman Ashley Jenkins, the daughter of former Clemson player Denise Marshall, gave the Lady Tigers their final points of the night.

The Lady Tigers will travel to Orono, ME for the Dead River Company Classic over the Thanksgiving weekend. Clemson will face St. John’s on Friday and will then play either Maine or Brown on Saturday.