The Clemson women’s basketball team’s undefeated streak ended with a 77-45 loss to the No. 1-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday at Littlejohn Coliseum.

The loss was the Tigers’ first of the season and head coach Shawn Poppie’s first in his career at Clemson. The Gamecocks are now on an undefeated streak spanning back to March 2023.

Despite an 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, the Tigers could not hand the defending national champions their first loss of the season. The Gamecocks used their size advantage to dominate throughout the game, holding the Tigers to a season low in scoring.

Before the game, Clemson was able to dominate in the paint against its other opponents, yet the Gamecocks thwarted Clemson’s ability under the basket with 54 rebounds and nine blocks. Clemson only had 10 points in the paint to South Carolina’s 44. The Gamecocks also had 23 offensive rebounds and 27 second-chance points.

Despite the large scoring margin, Gamecock head coach Dawn Staley praised Poppie’s team following the loss.

“A well-coached basketball team that’s probably going to do some damage in the ACC,” Staley said following the game on Wednesday night.

The Clemson defense continued its impressive season, forcing 13 turnovers on top of two blocks and five steals. The Tigers also held the Gamecocks to 33-for-77 shooting from the field and 7-for-19 from three.

Clemson’s offense ran through guard Loyal McQueen, who has consistently proven an offensive weapon for the Tigers. McQueen led the Tigers with 15 points and two assists while shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. The Tigers were also successful from beyond the 3-point line, shooting 7-for-18 from beyond the arc.

Clemson will look to get its season back on track at the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Florida, beginning Monday. The Tigers will see several out-of-conference opponents during the tournament, with their first matchup against the UAB Blazers.