The Clemson women’s basketball team (8-10) lost to No. 13 Louisville (16-2) by a score of 81-64 on Thursday in Littlejohn Coliseum. The Tigers are now on a five-game losing streak, with their last win dating back to December. Clemson is 1-5 in ACC play, with its only win coming against Duke. Here are the ups and downs of the game:
Paws down: Early struggles
Head coach Amanda Butler’s team struggled in the first half against Louisville, trailing the Cardinals by 15 points as it entered halftime at 47-32. Clemson was not efficient from the field in the first half, shooting 42.3% compared to Louisville’s 62.1%. Clemson also struggled in its 3-point shooting, only making two out of its 12 attempts, while Louisville scored five out of its 12 attempts.
Clemson struggled with keeping possession of the ball in the first half, as it turned the ball over 11 times. The Tigers also struggled with the passing game, having only three assists in the half.
Paws up: Dayshanette Harris
Harris, a guard for the Tigers, scored a season-high 25 points in the loss to Louisville in addition to seven assists and two rebounds. Harris shot an efficient 9-for-14 from the field and 7-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Harris is a transfer from Pittsburgh and has been a helpful addition to the Clemson team. Going into the game against Louisville, Harris averaged 11.1 points per game on the season, which was the third-highest on the team. She also leads the team in assists per game with 4.6, as well as steals with an average of 1.5 prior to Louisville.
Paws down: Offensive mishaps
The Tigers were unable to score efficiently against the Cardinals, shooting 23-for-55 from the field and 5-for-25 from beyond the arc. Clemson’s 64 points tied the third-lowest points for the Tigers this season and showed the team’s continued struggles against ACC competition.
Clemson’s passing struggles were apparent throughout the game as it totaled 10 assists, while Louisville doubled the Tigers with 20. The Tigers also had 14 turnovers against the Cardinals but were unable to capitalize on Louisville’s, scoring just 10 points off 12 turnovers.
Paws down: Continued defensive struggles
The Tigers have struggled defensively in ACC play, and this game was no different. In three of their last five ACC losses, Clemson has allowed more than 80 points. The squad ranks No. 302 in scoring defense in Division I basketball, allowing 71 points per game. The Tigers fouled the Cardinals 18 times and allowed 11 points from turnovers.
Clemson will be back in action at No. 14 Virginia Tech on Sunday at noon.
